Chelsea Atwood
by Helena-Mara
Summary: All original cast members except for two of my own creations. Ryan's sister comes into the picture and everything changes from the first phone call.Not for people who like Eddie.
1. Chapter 1 Can You Hear Me?

**Author's Note – ****Hello All! I've never ever written for 'The OC' but if you have any time, go and check out my other two stories. I really hope you all enjoy this. The basis of it came from a dream I had a few nights ago. Don't let the shortness of this chapter turn you off reading it. Usually my chapters are about double or triple of what I have written below, so they will get longer. There was just nothing left to say for this chapter without going into the second.**

**Read, Review and Save the Whales**

**-Helena**

**Disclaimer – ****I don't own 'The OC'. I don't write for 'The OC'. I am not an actor from 'The OC' and I do not own the characters at all. Whether in current or future OC fictions, I don't own anything that is not legally my own idea. I am solely the owner of my own ideas and characters and you can't take that away from me!!**

**Chapter 1**

**Can you hear me?**

It was Kirsten's day off. Her father had forced her into taking a long weekend, so that Friday was meant to be for rest and relaxation. Meant to be, being the keywords in the last sentence. Little did Kirsten know, that her husband and her were eventually going to have to make a decision. One that will give them the power to make more than one thing, a little bit bigger.

"Hey, where are Seth and Ryan? They weren't in Seth's room or the pool house" Kirsten asked, unable to get out of her habit of getting up early.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, they said something about going to school earlier, research purposes or something like that. They went with Clayton. They've already had breakfast, so there is no need to worry." Sandy smirked at her and gave her a kiss.

"So, I guess we have the house to ourselves huh?" Kirsten said, teasing, knowing quite well that the temptation for him would be too much to bear, but eventually he'll realise that he has to be a to work. Then it was Kirsten's turn to smirk.

"Go on then, let me be, I'm supposed to be relaxing aren't I?" and with that, Kirsten shooed her husband out of the front door, leaving her to be alone in their home.

Within the hour, Kirsten got bored. She tried playing with Seth's Playstation 2 but it was no use when she didn't get how to turn it on, or use the little shapes on the control.

"Hmmmm...Ok...I can make my own..."

Kirsten ran towards the phone as soon as it started ringing and left off the last word of her sentence. She waited for a few more rings so that the person on the line didn't think that she was desperate and bored because she picked up on the first ring.

She quickly darted for the cordless receiver, clearly excited with the thought of some form of human communication.

"Hello!" she said a little too eagerly.

"Uh, hi, um, is this the um Cohen residence?"

Now taking a serious, but friendly tone Kirsten replied "Yes. Yes it is. Who, may I ask, are you looking for?"

"Well, I was just wondering whether Ryan was home."

"Sorry, you missed him, he left about 2 hours ago, school you know."

"Uhh, yeah, school, I forgot."

"So I'm guessing that you don't go to school with Ryan?"

"Well, no, but I used to."

"Oh, so you're a friend from Chino?"

"Um, yeah, you could say that I guess. Well, anyways, would you be able to just pass on a message for me?"

"Sure, go ahead, I've got a pen and paper ready."

"Just tell Ryan that Chelsea called and that she would really appreciate it if he could call her back as soon as possible. He'll know my number."

"Ok, sure, is that all?"

"That's all for now. Thankyou very much, Bye."

And before Kirsten could reply, the strange girl on the other end hung up.

"Hmm, how unusual." And Kirsten decided to treat herself to a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure.


	2. Chapter 2 Blue Colour

**Author's Note- Just to let you know, I write maybe 2 or 3 chapters in advance of what I have posted. This is mainly so that I have time to re-read and edit, and so I don't keep my fans (and haters) waiting. So unless I've gotten really behind, I'll usually update as often as possible.**

**Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!**

**Chapter 2**

**Blue Colour**

"Chelsea. Chelsea. No I've never heard that name before. Why?" Sandy asked over the phone.

"It's just that I got a rather odd phone call just before, from a Chelsea something. Anyways she was asking for Ryan."

"Ryan? Is she from Chino?"

"Yeah, I asked and she is."

"Must be an old friend I guess.

"Yeah, your right, it is probably nothing for me to worry over."

"Hey, aren't you meant to be relaxing?"

"I was, I even went out to get beautified but this has just been bugging me. I just want the boys to come home so I can ask Ryan about it."

"Well anyways, I have a load of paperwork here to finish so I have to say goodbye. Don't worry yourself about this honey, ok."

"Yeah. Well, see you tonight."

"By sweetheart."

"Why aren't they home yet!" Kirsten exclaimed pacing the living room. "It is already 5:30, they should be home by now! Ok, Kirsten, think rationally, they probably went to the mall or something. Anyways, why do I care so much?"

"You care so much because this has to do with Ryan's past." Her head told her.

"Yeah I guess."

"Hey mom, who're you talking to? You know the first sign of madness is talking to yourself."

Seth and Ryan had just walked into the house. Kirsten playfully slapped Seth and carried on to start telling Ryan about her telephone encounter today.

"Ryan, today I got a phone call concerning you."

"What did I do?" Ryan asked back in his defence.

"Nothing, nothing," Kirsten replied slightly laughing. "but um, you got a phone call today. From someone in Chino. She said she was I guess your friend, that you went to school with her and that her name was Chelsea. She wanted you to call her..."

Before she could finish the sentence Ryan had darted to the phone.

"Do you mind if I make a long distance call?"

"No, not at all."

"What else did she say?"

"Umm, nothing really, she just need you to call her back as soon as possible."

"Ryan, who is she?"

But before she could get an answer, Ryan had fled to the pool house to make his call.

"Do you know about Chelsea?"

"Chelsea. Of course, the colour blue, the English Premier League soccer team, but no, no girl named Chelsea from Ryan's past."

Seth picked up the drink he had been pouring while the entire 'Chelsea 'conversation was going on and headed off to his room.

"I can't believe that Chelsea called, my little sister Chelsea. But I wonder why. I haven't heard from her and Mom in a while?"

Ryan started dialling the number that seemed so near yet so close to him, the phone number of his past, the phone number of his real home in Chino.

It rang about three times before anyone picked up.

"Chelsea?" He asked into the receiver.

"Ryan!" The girl exclaimed, relieved on the other end. "You called. Thankyou I didn't know how I was going to pay for constant long distance calls."

"How have you been little sis? I haven't seen or talked to you in months. What is happening?"

Taking a more serious tone. "Well, um, I needed to get in contact with you, Ryan. Because the only family I have in this world that can help me is you."

"What do you mean? I know that Trey is in jail, but where's Mom?"

"Precisely what I needed to call you about." She took in a deep breath and her tone of voice softened when she said "Mom left. She doesn't want any of us anymore. The letter she left said that she wanted to start anew and not be tied down with a family of disappointments like us." Chelsea started crying. And Ryan tried to comfort her.

"You were not a disappointment!" Ryan said, angry with what his mother could do.

"You were the intelligent one, the good one, the unique one. You are so creative and

smart Chelsea. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I can't believe what she did!"

"Yeah, well, it didn't seem to matter to her." Her sobbing stopped but you could feel the pain and sadness in her voice. "Well that is why I needed to call you. Basically, I've just been living with what we had already in the house and whatever money I could find, I bought what I needed. But now the bills have come in and it has only been a week since she has gone and, and, and I just I..."

Chelsea started crying again, but Ryan persisted.

"Shh, please don't cry Chels, of course I'll help you, I love you, you're my family, and I have to protect you, I'm your big brother."

"So, what is going to happen? Please Ryan, I don't want to go to a foster home, I'm 15 and people who can't have babies don't want teenagers. They want little kids."

"I don't know what's going to happen ok, but I'll try my best to make you happy ok. How much longer have you got before they cut off the power and water? Do you have enough food for tomorrow?"

"Umm, I'm guessing about 2 days at the least for food, power and water, they said in a week from yesterday."

"Ok, that's good I guess. I have an idea, but could you just wait until later on. I promise I'll call you back as soon I get an answer."

"What are you going to do?"

"I want to see if you can come stay here with me, and I think that Kirsten and Sandy would say yes, and Seth wouldn't mind. He'd kind of like it, somebody who could actually beat him in Halo."

Chelsea laughed.

"Ok, sure, I'll wait. Bye Bye big brother."

"Hopefully see you soon little sis."


	3. Chapter 3 Q and A's

**Author's Note - Thankyou so much for the reviews everyone. Grace, that wasn't really constructive criticism, and I'm not ashamed of what I have written, because I don't think it is in any way degrading Orange County or the show. I am my biggest critic and if I thought it was that bad I wouldn't have put it on the site.**

****

**Chapter 3**

**Q an A's**

Ryan put the phone back in its place and went back into the pool house to process all the changes happening in his life.

"On one side, I'll be getting to see Chelsea again. But on the other, maybe she won't stay. Maybe Kirsten and Sandy will make her leave and go to some foster home on the other side of the country where I'd hardly ever be able to see her."

All these thoughts buzzed through his head. He must have sat there for about 2 hours thinking it all over. How could his mother have done this to her? Chelsea doesn't deserve this. None of us deserve this.

He slammed his hand onto the side of his bed in rage when Marissa came into the room to announce that dinner was ready and that Sandy had come home.

"What's wrong?" she asked genuinely concerned. She crawled onto his bed and placed her arms around him in a comforting way.

"You'll find out at dinner, I guess."

"Are you sure you're fine." She gently kissed him on his cheek and held him closer to her. Ryan remained stationary.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure that it will work itself out soon enough. Come let's go eat, they're all waiting."

Ryan willingly obliged. "Yeah, I hope so." He muttered under his breath on the way to the dining room.

Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, Anna, Summer and their other friend Clayton were all waiting for Marissa and him to arrive so they could start eating.

They were all meant to be going out later on that night, to some club that Clayton knew of, so they decided to eat dinner at the Cohen's first before they went out.

Ryan, being too busy thinking about his latest predicament totally forgot about it.

"Uh, sorry guys" he announced, "I don't think I'll be going out tonight."

"Aww! Come on, you have to go Ryan; it won't be anything without you. Cohen, make him go!" Anna said

"Yeah, Ryan, what's up?" Clayton added as he just finished chewing his pasta.

"Just, something happened, and I don't think I should go out tonight."

"What's wrong?" Sandy asked.

"Has it got to do with that girl, Chelsea?" Kirsten said.

Marissa glared at Ryan.

"What girl Chelsea?" she asked warily.

"I guess I should just tell you all now." Ryan took a deep breath and began. "Chelsea... Chelsea's my younger sister. She's only a year younger, so she is fifteen. But anyways, I haven't really talked about her much because well Mom looked after her. She still lives in Chino, but Mom doesn't."

He paused to look around the table at everybody's sincere and concerned faces.

"What do you mean your mom doesn't live in Chino?" Seth said

"About a week ago. Mom left. She left Chelsea by herself, with just a letter explaining that she wanted to start anew again. It's like she isn't proud of her. She doesn't want to be associated with us anymore. But I mean, I can understand why she would leave my brother and I, because he's in jail and I should be there, but Chelsea. No, Chelsea, is smart, she didn't get caught up in drugs and prostitution and crime when it was right in her front yard. She's her own person and so intelligent. So, basically, she has been by herself for the past week but now things are getting worse because she's running out of food and money and the power and electricity is going to be shut off and I'm all she's got you know?"

Ryan quickly got up from his seat and went back into the pool house. He just felt like being by himself now. Things were bad when he was only thinking about the problem, but once he had voiced it, it became real and made the pain and anxiety worse.

Marissa walked in a few minutes later.

"Hey."

"Hey" He beckoned for Marissa to come over and they held each other.

"Are you going to be alright alone? Do you want me to stay?"

"It's fine, go ahead, the other's need you. I just feel like being alone tonight. Have fun, ok."

"I can't have fun if I know you're not happy."

"Just try to have fun." She looked at him and he added "For me?"

"Ok, but only for you. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, bye." And he gave her a kiss goodbye and she left, blowing a kiss in his direction on the way out.

"Sandy."

"Mmhmmm..." Sandy was doing some paperwork while Kirsten was watching TV.

"We should take her in."

"Who?" Sandy finally looked up from the sheets of paper sprawled messily on the table in front of him.

"Chelsea, Ryan's sister. I've been thinking about it, ever since, and I just think that it would be the right thing to do. I've always wanted a daughter Sandy, and well, Ryan's family, so she's already family too. She sounds wonderful by the way Ryan describes her, and I'm sure both of them would rather it here than for her to be sent to a foster home."

She stared at Sandy for a few moments and continued.

"Please Sandy, I don't ask you for much but I just really want you to agree on this with me. If she doesn't like it, or if it doesn't work out, we don't have to adopt her."

Sandy kissed his wife and replied confidently

"Sure, I think this will be a good experience for us all, and it wouldn't hurt Ran to have some blood-family around."

"Thankyou, thankyou." Kirsten attacked Sandy with kisses and hugs and then ran off to tell Ryan.

"I have to go let Ryan know!"

"Let me know what?" Ryan said, he had just walked into the room.

"Well... Ryan, we were just talking and we think that it would be a good idea for Chelsea to come and stay here, in Newport."

Ryan looked at them in shock.

"Are you serious!?" he questioned in amazement.

"Yes, we are certain. When can she come?"

Ryan had to process all these wonderful thoughts. "She's coming to Newport, she's going to be with me, we can go to school together..."

"I have to go tell her." He turned to rush out of the living room but then stopped and turned around again.

"Thankyou. Thankyou so much. You don't know how much this means to me or to her. Thankyou."


	4. Chapter 4 Family Life

**Author's Note - Thanks for the reviews! Could you please point out where I'm going wrong if you complain about my work? (It only helps me become a better writer.) This is a longish chapter, sorry for the delay in updates. Read and Review**

**-Peace**

**Chapter 4**

**Family Life**

As I looked around my barely furnished room I started realising what life could have been like for me. I could have gone to a good school where they appreciated gifted and talented people and not taunted them. Trey wouldn't have been tempted by crime so he'd still be with me and not in jail and I would probably have had a mother and a father supporting me and helping me through life, not weighing me down.

But soon, everything will finally go right for me. I'll be with my brother and when I'll look back and reflect on these days, I won't feel so much pain anymore. Because that is what life used to be, and I will have so much to look forward to.

Ryan will be coming for me soon. I haven't seen him for so long, I wonder if he has changed. He sounded the same over the phone, like the kind and sweet protective brother he was. I remember when these guys were teasing me at school because at the time I had dyed my hair green, Ryan came and made them back off.

I finished packing away my sewing machine that Grandma gave to me before she died, and all her sewing books and my materials when I heard the doorbell ring.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror for a few seconds and brushed my black hair that had been messily tied back and took a deep breath and walked towards the front door. "This is it," I told myself.

I reached the door and started unlocking it. "Please God, Please God, Please God," were the only words running through my mind. What was I praying for exactly?

As I opened the door my head just automatically faced the ground and I stared at my Pink Converse Hi-Tops (a treat from Mom) for a few seconds before I could face Ryan.

"Chelsea!" Ryan exclaimed and grabbed me into a brotherly embrace.

"It has definitely been too, too long."

He stood back and just looked at me, kind of like he was taking me all in.

I noticed that even though his lifestyle had change, his taste in clothes hadn't changed much. Sure, he wore more expensive brands now but he still looked like when he had left me about 7 months ago.

He helped me take all my suitcases and belongings into his car. Once we started driving, I could feel him looking at me.

"What?" I asked smiling and playfully slapping him on the shoulder.

"Nothing." He said smiling back. "I know you don't want to hear this, but you've grown."

"See what those people have done to you, they've turned you into Great Aunt Maude."

I put on a mock voice and said "Ryan, oh Ryan, come give your Great Aunt Maude a kissy poo on the cheeks"

He laughed at my attempt to mimic her.

"I missed this, you know. I missed you, not so much Mom and Trey, but I missed how much fun we had together."

"I did too."

I looked down at my shoes again. "Hey, speaking of Trey, you don't mind if we go to the jail to visit him for a little while. When you were gone, Mom stopped visiting him, so I went once a week after school without her knowing and brought him something nice to eat like a cake. He doesn't know that I'm going. I just kept putting off telling him, but I know that I probably won't see him for a while."

"Sure. We can go. And, Chelsea, whenever you want to come back to visit, just tell me ok. Unless it is something really important with my friends or something, I'll probably be able to take you down to visit Trey."

"Thanks." I flashed him a smile. "So, tell me all about Newport, all your friends and the marvellous people I affectionately call, "The Christ-Like Cohen's"."

He laughed at my joke. It was nice to see him happy. Whenever he was living in Chino, I always new that he was never truly happy. He'd put on a brave face for my sake when we hung out together but I could tell. I could see it in his eyes that something was permanently wrong.

Now they were clear. He was happy. At least happier than before.

It saddened me to think that his time with me was sad and that when I was horribly torn out of his world that everything went right for him.

I know that I wasn't the cause. Mom was. She was the cause of everyone's problems. She just didn't understand how to care, how to be a mother. And now, she couldn't even stay with us anymore. She had abandoned us. She new that she stuffed up our lives and she was just too cowardly to face her problems.

But I knew, deep down, that whatever didn't kill me, made me much, much stronger. That is the only thing I thank her for. If she hadn't created us, and had other kids, they probably would've ended up dead, in this neighbourhood. Trey, who got the worse end of the stick, literally didn't turn out as bad as he could of in her hands.

The hands that could break you, the hands that slapped and dismissed you, the hands that held her glasses of whisky and the hands that comforted on the odd occasion that she wasn't out of it or doped up.

"Why are _you _staring at me now?"

"You're happy. You're truly happy." I replied and then got out of the car and walked through the gates of Chino Minimum Security Prison.

"Chelsea, _Ryan!" _Trey's look of amazement and happiness made it only harder for her to break the news to her other older brother. Trey. It didn't matter what he had done, he was truly a sweet person who always put his family first. Mom might have seen them as failures, but I saw them as special. Like Ryan, he was the protective brother type, until he went to jail, that was when Ryan took it upon himself to look after me.

I remember when I had my first date. Rowan, was sweet and I guess I was the only girl who'd go out with him due to his lack of popularity. He was in my gifted and talented club and well, I was a weirdo, so you could say, like him. Anyways, I'll never forget the day when I was 12 and his mom and him came to pick us up. Trey and Ryan practically beat him up then and there. Let's just say that wasn't the greatest memory I've ever had, but it is one of the better ones.

It's funny how the few memories I have when life wasn't bad usually have some kind of embarrassing aspect to it.

"Trey, umm. I don't really know how to tell you this but. Ryan is coming to take me."

"Take you where?" he responded promptly.

"Well, mom left."

"She…!"

"She left, Trey!" I calmed down. " Mom, packed up and went and left me alone. I have no where else to go. The Cohen's have agreed to take me in. So I'm moving to Newport."

My face turned sad again as I said those last words, 'I'm moving to Newport'.

"It's full of opportunity's Chelsea, don't be stupid" I told myself.

About half an hour later we were ready to go. Trey took me into a hug and kissed the top of my head.

"Take care of her Ryan. You know she's smart, don't let her go snooty around all those rich people."

I smiled while buried in his chest.

"I won't change Trey. You know I'm not one to follow the crowd."

"I know Chels, I know."

"Anyways, we have to go." Ryan said and did that guy handshake thingy with Trey.

We started walking out and I could see Trey being taken back to his cell.

"I'll visit as often as I can. And I'll bring pie. Because you know there is nothing better than pie."

He heard me and got out little joke and smiled. I waved goodbye and Ryan and I made our way back to the car.

"You ok, you seem to be doing that a lot lately?" Ryan asked.

"What ?"

"Staring at your shoes."

"Oh."


	5. Chapter 5 Homesick

**Chapter 5**

**Homesick**

"Wow" I looked up at the Cohen mansion and was amazed.

"Yeah, I know, why do they need a house so big for only four people, huh?"

"Ok, so let me get this straight. Sandy, is Kirsten's husband and they own the house and let me stay here. Seth, is your adoptive brother and if they adopt me, mine too. Marissa used to be the next door neighbour but her parents broke up and now she lives with her Dad who is the scandal of the town because he is a crook but really not that bad. Marissa is also your girlfriend, which is extremely hard to believe." I scoffed at my last remark as he gave me a look

"Ok, ok, stop making that face, sorry ok. Alright." I said smiling and gaining my composure. "Ok, Summer is your friend and Anna is Seth's girlfriend, which you told me is hard to believe. Oh, and my favourite of them all."

"You haven't even met them yet."

"Well I am going to soon."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Are they inside waiting for me?"

"Damn." Ryan looked defeated as I smiled to myself and continued but now we were walking up the path instead of just standing in front of the house.

"Well, Clayton, as you say is the cool guy that I'll really like and get along with. Apparently, his taste in music doesn't suck and he is actually a very nice, smartassy kinda guy."

"Well, I believe we've reached the end of the route here kids." I said in a mock bus driver way because Ryan was just staring at the door.

"Hey, you live here, I think you should be the one who should open the door huh?"

"Um, yeah, sorry, I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"You, and how you're going to cause a division between the townsfolk." I laughed and he eventually pushed the door open.

"This, is it. My new life." I mumbled quietly under my breath.

As we walked inside I noticed the noise coming from out back. "Strange," I thought, "I guess I better get used to people who like their music loud."

"You can be so stupid sometimes Chels. They're having a party."

"A party, what for. It's not Christmas last time I checked."

"For you, you dimwit."

"Hey!"

We continued walking down what seemed like an endless hallway.

"So, how am I to be introduced, Jeeves."

"Jeeves?

"Yeah, Jeeves, you know the butler?"

I could see the end and that we were nearly going to reach the backyard where the party was.

"Ryan, stop" I said, pulling back on his t-shirt.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I'm just not good at first impressions. And these people, they're rich, and they'll have expectations. I just don't feel comfortable meeting the entire town, only to have them give me the once over and decide just because my clothes are different that I'll be a trouble maker."

"Firstly, it isn't the entire town, it's only Sandy, Kirsten, Seth and my friends, all of who are not stuck up rich people. Seriously, they'll love you, just use that Atwood charm."

"What Atwood charm?" I asked walking again "You don't have any charm, it's a miracle you even have a..."

"Hi, I'm Marissa, Ryan's girlfriend." A skinny girl said, cutting off what I was saying to Ryan. Suddenly, everybody's face turned towards me and they must've thought that I was happy to see them all because my face was still in its laughing/sarcastic state from what I was saying to Ryan.

Ryan gave his girlfriend a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Marissa, this is my younger sister Chelsea."

Thankyou Ryan, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou. At least now I didn't have to introduce myself.

"So how was the trip Chelsea? That's such a pretty name, and I love what you're wearing. Where did you get it from?"

"Well, the trip was fine, thanks for asking, and I got the top from me. I made it."

"Wow! That's great, did you like sew it and everything?"

"Yeah. It's great, because I never have the problem of having nothing to wear, I can always just whip up something if I need it."

So far this is going well. Ryan's girlfriend likes me and she hasn't dissed my clothes, she thinks they're great. Then some guy got up onto a wall.

"Hey. Chelsea right? I'm Seth, you're new step brother." Seth shouted. "My parents have cordially invited you to come and eat and be merry."

He jumped down and walked across towards me with who I thought were Sandy and Kirsten behind him.

"Hey!" he said, and hi-fived me. "Ryan says you can beat me in Halo, so come and show me." (AN: I know that before, Ryan only said that she could beat Seth in Halo to Chelsea, but let's just say that in the small talk made about a nameless Chelsea in the past, the fact that she could actually beat him was mentioned, ok?)

"Seth, not now, later, we're just going to eat." Kirsten said.

"Hello Chelsea." She said warmly. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you."

"Yeah, we're so glad to have you come and stay with us" Sandy said smiling.

"Ryan hasn't said much about you, so hopefully we can get to know you better. Come we're just starting you eat."

She beckoned me towards the table on the other side of the yard that was set with a beautifully white, clean tablecloth and cloth sky-blue napkins. Ryan told me to sit down at the end of the table and I did so willingly. As soon as I sat down I felt the fabric between my fingers and I think Ryan laughed at me.

I looked up from the cloth and noticed that everyone was watching me.

"Oh, sorry. I probably look weird feeling your tablecloth and all but it is really pretty fabric. What kind is it?"

"Sorry, guys, she sews, so she likes the whole fabric thing."

"That's perfectly fine Ryan. It's silk."

"Wow, you use silk for the tablecloth. It's only me you know, you didn't need to go all out on a tablecloth."

Everybody laughed at my remark and started eating the food that was placed in front of them by the maid. (AN: I'm assuming that they have a maid because how else would their house be so clean if Sandy and Kirsten both work all the time?)

After the entrée had been served, immediately after the barbecues foods and salads were brought out. Now this seemed more normal. Everyone taking their own food and placing it onto their plates and not having it pre-prepared for them on the plates. As far as I knew Sandy had cooked the food and it was definitely good.

"Sandy, did you cook this, it is seriously delicious?" I asked genuinely

"Why thankyou Chelsea, I did. Unlike my wife here I can cook."

Everyone sniggered and laughed.

"Hey!" Kirsten replied in her defence "I'm not that bad!"

"Yes, mom, you are. Reeeally bad." Seth turned to face me. "Last Thanksgiving, we made a pact to keep her as far away from cooking anything as possible. In the end we ordered Chinese."

"Let's just say that, that was the worst Thanksgiving ever." Summer added.

Ryan laughed. Ahh yes, an inside joke. This brought me back to my depressed state. Ryan and I used to have 'inside' jokes. The jokes only we knew were funny. But now, we had none and they had them all because they got to spend 7 months with my brother and I was left to rot in hell with my mother all this time.

I quickly excused myself from the table.

"Umm, Ryan, could you tell me where the bathroom is?" I asked, practically in tears.

"Yeah, just go down the hall and turn left at the second door."

I rushed off without saying thanks and found myself on the floor of their perfect little bathroom.

Why was this affecting me so much? Why am I so jealous? I am here with Ryan now, we can have all the inside jokes we want now. But no, it isn't really about the inside jokes. No matter how bad my life was, I still missed it all.

I missed the little things, and the small embarrassing memories.

I just had to get over this. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. All my mascara had run down my face from the tears. I quickly splashed the cold tap water onto my cheeks and gently washed off the stain with a tissue and reapplied the mascara. Luckily, I had it in my pocket.

I re-entered the outside entertaining area where everyone was chatting.

"Hey Chels, what was wrong."

I quickly swiped for my cheeks in case some mascara was left and I didn't realise it.

Nothing was there. "Nothing, nothing was wrong."

I took my seat again and just watched everyone interact. The one person who caught my eye though was definitely Clayton. I didn't look like the rest of them. There was something about him. As far as I could see he was about 6"3 and had a broad chest. Definitely good looking.

I smiled to myself then realised he was looking at me staring at him so I turned away.

I guess this won't be too bad after all.


	6. Chapter 6 Smiling

**Author's Note- Sorry, sorry, sorry. This has been one of the most hectic weeks of my life and I have not had a chance to update like every second day or whatever. Sorry, sorry, sorry!:-) **

**Buffangel-1989 – Thanks for your concern, but as I've said before, the idea for this fan fiction came from a dream I had and well, in my mind the Chelsea/Seth pairing was never going to happen in this story, he is going to have a more friend/big brother relationship with Chelsea so don't worry. I haven't read your story and I don't want to in case I develop ideas that are similar to yours, so whatever I write it is not an attempt to be like you. **

**Thanks for the reviews everyone!!!!! I appreciate them greatly. **

**Chapter 6**

**Smiling**

"Bye, Marissa, bye Anna, bye Summer." I said, waving and smiling. I turned around abruptly and crashed into the large body behind me. It was Clayton. He was about 8 inches taller than me but somehow I had knocked him to the ground with me and I was suggestively sprawled on top of his chest. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.

I could see a slight blush in his cheeks, but he smiled, at least that was good. I quickly pushed myself off his body and helped him up.

"I am soo, sorry. Please forgive me, it was a total acciden..."

"It's fine, you definitely move fast."

"Umm, I think I'm supposed to say thanks now or something, if that was meant to be a compliment."

He chuckled and his smile was so sweet. The way he grinned, it melted my heart there and then. He sensed me staring at his lips. Oh God, how much I wanted to kiss those adorable lips of his.

"Anyways, I better be off. See you around Chelsea Atwood."

I closed the door and burst out into a big grin. He said my name! My name sounds so nice coming from his lips.

I started walking back to where was new family was. I had a perpetual smile on my face when I entered the living room.

"What are you so happy about Chelsea?" Ryan smirked at me and giggled to himself.

"Haha man, you just giggled." Seth said. "Now I'm not the most feminine of us two anymore."

"Yes, he's always been hiding his feminine side, hey Ry-anne."

Ryan stood there defeated and I just smiled.

"Ok, you win, but don't think that I won't remember that smile."

"What's so wrong about smiling?" I asked sweetly.

"Oh, you know, I know what 'that' smile means."

"What does it mean, what does it mean!?" Seth chimed in.

"It means that it is now time to get to know the family Seth."

"Not that mother, what does the smile Chelsea has mean."

"Shut Up Seth!" they all said in unison except for me.

I started laughing. "How do you guys do that?" I said when Sandy started leaving the room.

"So, Chelsea, tell us about yourself." Sandy asked as he walked into the room again, this time bearing a bowl of potato chips.

"Well, I am 15 years old, Ryan is my brother, I grew up in Chino and have always wanted to go to Connecticut. I ride the trolleys in supermarkets, I make my own clothes, I dye my hair weird colours whish usually outcasts me, I am myself and no one else, I play the piano, guitar and bass, I also sing. If you want to find me I'll probably either be in these three locations, school, my room or church."

"Wow, that was a good description."

They all looked at me weirdly. "Oh and I forgot, I'm nice, I'm fun and tell me now if you hate me before I get attached and THEN you kick me out for being not what you expected."

"You come on pretty headstrong, but Chelsea, don't worry about being kicked out, because we were going to let you stay whatever your personality was. And, we like you, we like you a lot, and we can't wait for you to become accustomed to us all." Kirsten added.

I smiled. And smiled, and I just kept on smiling. I've never felt the feeling of being wanted, or loved. Maybe I have but I just missed it, but what I was feeling now, this tingling inside me, whether it being wanted or being loved. I liked it, I really liked it.

CLAYTON

Chelsea Atwood, Chelsea Atwood, Chelsea Atwood. That name just kept flooding my mind with the image of that pretty, that _beautiful_ image of perfection that I had stupidly ignored all night.

I hope she didn't think that I didn't like her and that was why I didn't talk to her. I do, oh how much I do like her.

Damn this. How come I was such an asshole to her? I just couldn't help it. Why would she ever like me anyways, I'm her brother's friend, and I'm sure that there'll be better looking guys in her grade anyways.

I bet she'll become popular, unlike all my friends and I who were all outcasted for some reason or another. She'll become popular, and have all the athletic guys mill around her. She'll probably then develop an 'easy' reputation. Even if she wasn't, like Summer did in her period of time as Miss Popular.

And then definitely she won't see me. She'll just see the reason I'm an outcast.

But maybe she won't, why don't I have any faith in girls? Because duh, you go to Harbor, and all the girls there are too snobby spending there Daddy's money from his overpaid job.

I picked up my guitar and started strumming a G chord. I'm just this tall guy waiting for a record deal with his friend's sister on his mind, cause she is the most beautiful girl he has ever laid his eyes on. But I can't ever have her. She'll soon become one of them.


	7. Chapter 7 Bedroom Sleeping

**Author's Note - Hey guys! My phone has been cut off due to technical problems at the company and well, I haven't been able to update any sooner due to the lazy phone company who take about 2 weeks to fix something. Anyways, it gave me a lot of time to catch up on my writing, so expect a long chapter in the near future....read and review**

**-H**

**Chapter 7**

**Bedroom Sleeping**

The quilt was so perfect looking. There wasn't a crease anywhere. It was like it was ironed into place. So, so, cream coloured.

"I didn't know what you would like, so I just put up all the plain, neutral furnishings. You're welcome to decorate it however you want. Just ask Sandy or I for money for the paint or whatever. You're part of the family now you know."

Kirsten started walking towards the door.

"Kirsten, I know that this feels weird. But I want you to know that I am so grateful for this opportunity. I don't know you guys yet, but you seem really nice. I mean, you picked Ryan up practically off the street, he was headed towards jail, and look what you've done to him. I just want you to know, that I won't let you guys down, and that I've always prayed for an opportunity like this. So in my mind, this is a miracle, a miracle from God, and I'm not going to stuff this up."

She walked over to me and held me in a big hug.

"Some day, hugging you won't feel so weird and you know what, I can't wait until that day comes. Because I can see, I can see that you won't let us down Chelsea. Anyways, goodnight...Goodnight sweetheart."

She closed the door and I must have stood there for a few seconds before I had realised what had just happened. I had never felt so accepted in my life. So much trust placed into my hands, so much love.

I sat down onto the perfect, queen-sized bed and pinched myself.

"Ow!" I said annoyed with my attempt to find out if I was dead or just dreaming. "If it hurts, you're still alive." I smiled to myself. My friend Anna had said that. My friend Anna in Chino.

No matter how good this is, I've still left my past, I've still left my home.

I smiled at myself in the mirror.

So many things have been given to me, placed in reach of my fingertips, but should I take it? Should I take the chance? I sighed and crawled over to the other side of the bed where my battered, old suitcases were.

I unzipped one and retrieved my pyjamas in the mess that was my life. I looked into my suitcase after I had finished changing into my tank top and shorts and found a grubby photo.

It was of mom and I.

"Wow, a time in mom's life when she wasn't drunk" I said bitterly with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh well."

I slipped under the cold, clean white sheets and placed my head onto the soft pillow. I have a thing about pillows. Whenever I had school camp I would always take my own pillow. It had the smell of home on it.

But I had to move on, so I left my pillow in the suitcase and tried to forget about it.

I switched off the lamp and stared blankly into the darkness that surrounded me.

I couldn't do this. I started crying into my sheets. Things just felt so wrong, so bad. I needed home, I needed something familiar.

I grabbed my Discman after searching around through the clothes in another suitcase and grabbed any CD within reach.

Ahh, John Mayer. This is good, this reminds me of home, good times...

I woke up in a pile of sheets and the song 'Come Back To Bed' gently playing in my ear. It had been on repeat all night. I turned it off and removed the headphones from my ears.

The brightness of the sun was hurting my eyes so I ventured for the door and then remembered what I was wearing.

"Damn." I walked back to the blinds and shut them as tight as possible. I definitely wasn't a morning person.

I slipped on some baggy jeans and a Pucci style top as well as some thongs (AN- flip flops, not the underwear kind) and quickly brushed my black hair. I never had bad hair, it was dead straight naturally, and I quite like the way it looked when I got up, but if I didn't brush it, it would become too knotty throughout the day.

I applied some eyeliner and mascara and decided on a bright orange eye shadow to match the orange colours on my top. I put on some lip-gloss and headed straight out the door.

It didn't matter I guess about wearing pyjamas to breakfast. I just didn't want to offend them if I did so I took the safe option of getting dressed.

I slumped down into my chair and warily said good morning.

"So is it an Atwood thing, or are you two both just not morning people?" said Seth.

I laughed in agreement and Ryan grunted.

"He's worse than me though." I said pointing to Ryan.

"What would you like for breakfast Chelsea?" Sandy asked, "Anything you want, just don't let her make it"

"Hey!"

I smiled and headed for the cupboard.

"Umm, do you have any chocolate milk?"

"Oooh!" Seth screamed a muffled shriek while still eating his chocolate looking cereal."

He quickly swallowed his food.

"You drink chocolate milk too?"

"Only as much as I inhale air," I replied, amused at Seth's cute behaviour. (AN- Saying cute is not a sign that they like each other 'that' way, ok: - )

He pointedly looked at Ryan. "Why didn't you bring her here sooner?"

I started laughing. "So, do you want some, I'm going to have some?"

"Yes, please!"

I filled up both glasses once I had found them and brought one directly over to Seth.

"Here you go."

I took a seat and started drinking my sweet milk drink.

"So, what is happening today?" I asked, curious to see how the Cohen's lived their lives.

"Well, Sandy and I both have to finish up some paperwork at our offices so, sorry that we won't be around for the grand tour of Newport."

"We're going on a grand tour?"

"Of course we're going on a grand tour, Newport's newest resident just _has _to have a grand tour."

"We'll take you around the town, show you school."

"Argh! School. I totally forgot. Chelsea, I have an appointment today for you and I and Sandy if he can, to go to Harbor so that you can get enrolled to your new school."

"Can we reschedule?"

"No, I guess, I'll just have to do the paperwork later."

"No, you don't have to do that. Really, I can just go by my self. Ryan and Seth can take me. You don't have to bother if you have to miss out on work-"

"Stop being silly, of course I have to go, what are parents for huh?"

I plastered a smile onto my face but sunk lower into my chair.

What are parents for huh? Yeah, all the parenting experiences I've had have turned into disasters.

Ryan looked at me. I could tell that he could tell what I was thinking. I mean, he grew up with me too, he knows what it is like.

"So, um, when does Chelsea have to be at Harbor today. So we know when to drop her off." Asked Ryan.

"Well, the principal said the meeting was booked for 2:00pm. She also said that you'd have to do an entrance exam. They just want to see what level you are up to, see what classes you'd fit into to, I'm sure that it'll be just fine. Ryan thinks that you're very intelligent."

I looked up at Ryan and started laughing at him.

"What? You are, Chelsea, and don't try to deny it. Seriously, you'll ace the exam."

"Anyways, we'd love to stay and chat, but really, we have to be off. Come Ryan, Chelsea." And Seth beckoned us towards the front door.

"Bye Sandy, bye Kirsten." I called after them and was quickly dragged into a 4WD.

Seth started up the engine and we left the gorgeous, enormous Cohen house only to find a street full of more, gorgeous enormous houses.

"So, where are we going first?" I asked.

"What would you like to see?"

"Well, apparently the seaside town of Newport does actually have a beach so..."

"To the beach it is then."

We had spent a little while at the beach, and I saw Seth's cool boat. We drove around the town for a while and Ryan and Seth pointed out various places. It was about 12:00 pm now and we decided to go for lunch at the mall.

We found and empty table near a McDonalds and sat down. Ryan reached into his pocket and handed me a 10-dollar note.

"Go buy yourself something to eat. Whatever you want."

I quickly took the money from Ryan's hand and started walking in another direction.

"Hmm, what do I feel like today?" I asked myself silently. I saw a Subway and a KFC and a Kebab place. There were too many options to choose from. I ended up with a Coke and a large fries, but when I decided to go back to our table, I got lost.

I just couldn't remember where we were. I was just stuck in a mass of shoppers holding a paper bag and sucking on a straw.

Ok think about this, we were near a McDonald's. So I walked in that direction and stood in front of a CD shop next to McDonalds's. I must have looked like and idiot just moving my head about, trying to see above the crowd.

"Argh! Where have they gone to?" I sat myself on a public bench and started eating my fries. I'd look for them later.

I'd gotten halfway through when Ryan and Seth found me.

"There you are!"

"Why are you sitting here Chelsea?" said Ryan.

"Yeah, are we not cool enough for you?" Seth said, mock hurt.

"The tables just all seemed to mesh together. I couldn't tell where you guys were so after trying very hard to find you two I decided that food was more important."

"Ok, but come back, we have been worried over you. We thought you had gotten kidnapped or something."

"Oooh, I have big brothers Ryan and Seth to take of me. Always there to take care of a damsel in distress huh?" I laughed as we headed for the table.

But as soon as we came back, another family had taken our seats.

"Ahh, big mistake to leave the table unattended guys"

"Well, if you hadn't gotten lost we wouldn't have lost the table," said Ryan.

"Doesn't matter anyways, let's go look at clothes for a bit." Both guys groaned as I walked all over the place looking at this and trying on that.

"Hey, can we go to the comic book store now?" Seth asked innocently.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Anything is better than looking at clothes," said Ryan in relief.

They rushed eagerly over to the dingy little comic book store. I watched them eagerly. I think that it was interesting to see how these two interacted. I mean, if Seth had lived in Chino about 3 years ago, he'd be the type of guy that if he had gotten in Ryan's way, would be easily bashed up. I guess Ryan had changed, but only for the better.


	8. Chapter 8 Enter:Entrance Exam

**Author's Note - **Hey guys! Next chappy will be super long! Keep those reviews coing please. They make me sooooo happy!!!!!!!!!

Save the whales!

-Helena

**Chapter 8**

**Enter: Entrance Exam**

I slowly got bored of watching everybody in the store and my eyes slowly slipped towards the clock on the wall.

Damn! It was already 10 minutes to 2, I was going to be late for the meeting, and this does not look good when trying to get into these types of schools.

"Ryan! Seth! We have to go, I'm going to be late for the exam!" They both looked at the clock.

"Shit," said Ryan, and Seth quickly bought his beloved comic books and grabbed the paper bag just as I started running out of the store. I stopped when I realised that I had nowhere really to go.

"Quick, how long does it take to get to school?" I asked.

"Umm, about 15 minutes on a good day. From here, anyways."

Seth led us out into the parking lot and we scurried into the 4WD and this time Ryan drove.

"Hey, man, why are you driving?"

"Because I drive faster than you."

"Well, then if you're going to drive can I at least suggest taking Route 65 instead of 72."

"72 is the new 65, didn't you know that?"

Their bantering lasted the entire trip and when we finally got to school it was 7 past 2.

They led me up some steps and into the principals office. I saw Kirsten sitting in a seat facing the principal. She turned around as she heard us come in.

"Sorry, Mom, sorry Headmistress, we took Chelsea to the mall and we lost track of time."

"That's fine, she's here now, that's all that matters."

"Thanks for bringing her, boys. You can go home now."

"Uhh, yeah, sure. Good luck Chelsea."

"Good Luck."

"Thankyou," I replied back.

"So, Miss Atwood, I hope that you do realise that when meeting someone for the first time, it seems quite irresponsible to turn up late."

"But she-" Kirsten started.

"It's fine Kirsten. I do realise that, but I just want to let you know, that under these circumstances, it wasn't up to me, when I would come."

"You do know that there are clocks in a shopping mall, do you not?"

"I do, Miss, but me not being familiar with the times and places of Newport, how was I to know how long the trip to school would take."

The principal stared at me for a moment. I had gotten her and she new it. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kirsten holding down a laugh.

"Very, well then, I think you would do quite well on the debating team Miss Atwood, we need a new 3rd speaker, poor Bill Matthews got sick and is in hospital."

The latter part of the conversation was directed at Kirsten, of course, I had no idea who Bill Matthews was.

"You mean, I'm in?"

"Well, from what we've seen of past school records and reports, there is no reason why we shouldn't let you in."

A look of excitement crossed my face.

"But, you still have to do the entrance exam Miss Atwood. Don't get too carried away."

Within a few seconds she had handed me a pencil and had sat me at a desk. A stapled wad of sheets of paper had been placed in front of me.

"This will be testing your general knowledge on Mathematics, English, Science, History and Geography. And I must warn you before you begin, don't think that just because it has been easy getting in so far, doesn't mean that this test will make it any easier for you."

I smiled at her lack of faith in me and began my exam. Two and a half hours later, she beckoned Kirsten into the room and told me to leave.

I left obligingly and waited against the wall outside. The school looked so big and so new. Hardly anything like my old school. I remember the dingy lockers and crappy cafeteria food.

Kirsten walked out of the principals office smiling from ear to ear. She held with her a large package that looked as though it contained many sheets of paper. I followed her to the car, wondering what was going on.

"So did I-"

"You passed, flying colours! The principal said that you were the only person in the history of Harbor to ever get 100 percent on their grade entrance exam!"

"So what does this mean?" I asked excitedly.

"Well, you're going to start tomorrow, and well, she thinks that if it is all right with you, that you get bumped up a grade. You're going to be in Grade 10 with Ryan and Seth!"

All these emotions were flooding through my mind at that very moment. Everything was going right for me. But I couldn't but help feel a sick lump in my stomach. What goes up must come down, and it was inevitable that something would have to happen to cause my bubble to burst.

"So, anyways, dinner isn't for a few hours, I was thinking, that we should go back-to-school shopping together!"

I smiled weakly at the thought and sat myself in the car with Kirsten.

"So, what did you guys do today, apart from getting 100 on an exam of course!"

She was so proud of me. You could tell, she was so happy and so proud. Her mood definitely made me fell happier again. Why was I already worrying about something that hasn't even happened yet anyways?

Most of the car trip Kirsten was talking about how cute Seth was when he was a baby. I laughed a lot and she said that she'd show me the embarrassing picture album of Seth when he was a baby, and I said I'd show her my pictures too.

"So, what does the list tell me to buy?"

"Well, most of it comes in the pack but you have to get 3 highlighters, 5 pencils all of varying hardness's."

As Kirsten was reading out the list, I was grabbing items.

"10 blue pens, 10 black pens and 10 red pens, 1 pencil case, scissors. Wait, you didn't take a pencil case."

"I'd rather make one"

"Ok, moving on, a glue stick, 2 erasers, a package of loose leaf sheets, preferably purple."

"Wait, it actually said, 'preferably purple'?"

"No, but purple is the best."

I smiled at Kirsten's childishness. I wish I could've have fun like this with my mom. This was only stationery shopping and already I was having fun.

"Anything else, "I asked.

"No, the rest is in that enormous package in the car."

We purchased our goods and headed off for the Cohen house.

When we were home, Kirsten showed off with the news that I had gotten full marks and that I was going to be in the 10th grade.

"Well, that's wonderful Chelsea. We're so proud of you, we really are." said Sandy in that way that only Sandy can. The way that makes you feel that very word he is saying is with total truth and honesty.

The second night in my new bed wasn't going to be as bad as the first night, I thought to myself happily. I sat at my desk and was quickly finishing up the stitching of the beads to my pencil case.

It looked very good, I had to say. The material was a bright, hot pink that I had leftover from a previous garment and was covered all over in various patterns of tiny black beads.

I left the room to ask Kirsten where she had placed all the school things when Sandy came up from behind me and touched my shoulder in a gesture of hello.

I shrieked so loud I must have woken the neighbours up. Everybody came rushing into the room to see what was wrong.

"Chelsea!?" Ryan asked in concern as he ran over from the pool house.

"Umm, sorry, it's just, you frightened me a little Sandy. I'm really so, so, sorry, I'll clean up the mess I made-"

"Don't be silly. It's fine Chelsea. You just go and sit down on the sofa for a while. I'll bring you some hot chocolate. On, second thoughts, Sandy will make it, and I'll bring it."

A few minutes later Kirsten came in.

She started feeling my forehead and I flinched a little bit.

"Are you ok? You're not sick or anything are you?"

I shook my head as I gulped down the just right, warm, chocolate milk.

"How did Sandy know that I didn't like hot, hot chocolate?"

"It's written all over you're face." Said Sandy as he walked in. "Are you fine?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. I just had a really big shock. All the changes lately have been making me a bit edgy. It was just a lot of stress and readjustments, I'll be fine."

"Look at the pencil case she made Sandy."

They stared at my work in disbelief for a minute or two.

"Have you ever thought of starting a business? You would be very good."

"Thankyou for your compliment, but I'm only 15, I think I'll stay preoccupied with school for the time being." I took another sip and smiled.

"Well, I better be off to bed. Goodnight."

Tonight's listening would be some Green Day. How about their album Nimrod? I feel like something older.

I switched on the Discman and lay back into the clean, fresh smelling sheets. I dozed off after thinking about my next day's outfit.


	9. Chapter 9 First Day

**Author's Note – ****Yay! The season finale of season 1 is aired a few days ago in Australia. Sorry for the long wait. You all know what's been going on with teh site so...Please keep the reviews flowing.:-):-)**

**Sarah – Thanks for your encouraging comment, although how many times do I have to say that my idea is not "stolen" or "copied" from "The Atwood Sister"? Ever since you guys told me about how it was similar, I made sure that I didn't read it in case I had similar ideas and then would be accused of stealing the idea. So, this is my final plea, for all you people who so smugly tell me that I can't come up with my own ideas. I DIDN'T READ IT, SO HOW ON EARTH CAN I COPY SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT UNTIL THE IDEA OF THIS HAS BEEN FORMED IN MY HEAD?**

**Thankyou for your time…lol**

**This is my super long chapter, read and review please!!!**

**Chapter 9 **

**First Day**

I woke up, once again, with the sun shining through my window. My eyes painfully adjusted themselves to the light in the room and I searched around through my suitcases for my watch. I really should unpack all my stuff. The room is looking quite plain and bare.

Great, it was 6:30am, that will give me plenty of time to create the perfect first day outfit. I quickly made my bed and began my hunt.

I took out all my clothes and inspected them. "What colours do I feel like today?" I asked myself. Pink and black. I took out my black ruffle miniskirt and put it on. Next, I found my black singlet top and slipped it on. I found my knee-high black socks and put that on with my Pink Converse's. I found a thin pink scarf in my suitcase so I brushed my hair, folded it to about a 5 cm thickness (2 inches) and then tied that around it like a headband. I added on some dangly pink earrings too. Perfect.

Now for my makeup. Do they wear makeup to school? I think that they would, they're all so, perfect looking. I applied some eyeliner and mascara as well as some bright pink eye shimmer and then I put on some lip-gloss. I wasn't really big on concealer or foundation. I mainly like eye makeup because my eyes were my favourite feature. They were a pretty blue colour and I think that mascara only makes them look better.

I left my room and sat down for breakfast. Ryan and Seth weren't awake; it was only Kirsten and Sandy.

"Good morning," I said cheerfully, I was really looking forward to going to school today.

"Good morning Chelsea. Did you sleep well?" asked Sandy.

"Yes, everything was fine."

I took a croissant, made myself some chocolate milk and sat down. Seth and Ryan entered the room.

"Hey sis."

"Hey, Good morning."

"Are you looking forward to school today?" Seth asked.

"Yes, very much so, but you guys have to help me get around you know. The principal gave Kirsten this schedule." I said and passed over the slip of paper.

"Oh cool, you're in all of Ryan's and mine's classes. I think they did it like that on purpose."

"Well, that's a relief. I couldn't stand not being able to go to different classrooms because I wouldn't know where they were."

"Just stick with us and our friends, you'll be fine." Said Ryan.

"So, are all your friends in your classes?" I asked smiling.

"Yes, all our friends are in our classes. Marissa, Summer, Anna and of course Clayton."

This shut me up. He was staring at me, half-smiling in suspicion.

"You're smiling again."

"No I'm not!" I replied in my defence.

"What do you guys mean!?" Seth asked again.

I just giggled and continued eating my croissant. This was going to be a very fun day.

I got up when I was done, put my dirty dishes into the dishwasher and took my package from the table to sort it all in my bag.

Once everything was packed and I had brushed my teeth and was ready to go, I took myself and my belongings into the living room and waited for Ryan and Seth.

After flicking through an endless amount of channels with nothing on except for re-runs of Jerry Springer, the guys finally walked into the living room.

"Are you guys ready yet?"

"Yeah, come on."

We left the room. There was no car so I wondered how we were getting to school.

"We're getting a lift from Marissa," said Ryan, obviously aware of my confusion on the whole getting-to-school situation.

We walked over to the next door neighbour's house and a tall, pretty woman entered the door.

"Oh, hello boys. You must be Chelsea, Ryan's sister."

"Uh, yeah. And you are?"

"I'm Marissa's mother, Mrs Cooper."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Mrs Cooper," I said smiling and shaking her hand. I guess people around here aren't all that snobby and mean.

Marissa came down the steps and greeted Ryan with a hug and a kiss.

"Hey Chelsea, how are you his morning?" she asked.

"Oh, so I'm just invisible now am I? We've lived next door to each other for 16 years Marissa, don't you think I deserve more courtesy? Remember that time when we were 10 and I gave you my ice-cream because yours melted, huh. You said that you owed me one. I still haven't been repaid." He turned his head in feigning hurt as Marissa and I laughed at him and Ryan shook his head.

"I'm fine thankyou Marissa."

We entered her car and I got backseat with Seth.

"I need to play some Jenga or something. I'm feeling very fidgety." Said Seth.

"You're always fidgety Seth."

"True, but-"

"You play Jenga? I play Jenga. I thought that I was the only one who played Jenga because I could never find anyone to play Jenga with."

"I hear you Jenga sister. Oh the pain of being a single Jenga player." He sighed and looked to the ground.

"But you know," he said, bringing his head up, " We have another Jenga sister, Anna plays Jenga too. We can have like a Jenga tournament, or like start a Jenga convention."

"Please don't" said Ryan.

After our discussion about Jenga we arrived at school. I took a deep breath and sighed as I crawled out of the car.

"Here I go," I whispered to myself.

"You'll be fine Chelsea, and if anyone gives you a hard time, you can always tell me and they'll wish they had never been born."

I gave a weak smile and turned towards the school. It looked smaller today, probably because of the ant-like students roaming all over the school grounds.

"Umm, Kirsten said that I had to report to the Headmistress as soon as I got here. She said that she would take me to my first class. I think that is a pretty stupid idea though, it would be much easier just to lurk into the class without anyone noticing rather than stopping the class just to let me in. Anyways, an you take me to the office?"

They dropped me off and said goodbye as I entered the cool, air-conditioned room.

"Hi, I'm here to see the headmistress. It is my first day."

"Wait over there," the receptionist said pointing to a chair in the corner "she will be with you shortly."

I sat down and heard the bell ring and the rush of students heading of to their first period classes.

Within a few moments the headmistress greeted me.

"Good morning Chelsea, I just wanted to personally give you your school diary, for homework. It contains many useful things also, like the school song, history on the school, the school rules etcetera, etcetera. I also wanted to personally deliver you to your first class. Can you hand me your schedule?" she took the slip of paper out of my hands and read it thoroughly.

"Ahh, yes. I see that you have English with Mrs Greenwood first period. Come along, we're going to Room 12."

I willingly obliged but all the while in my heart I was dreading that first meeting. That once over, and if I didn't fit in or if they didn't like me then I would be shunned for the rest of my schooling life until at some point I acquire a fantastic career and come back for my 10 year reunion with all those mean people wishing that they had been nicer to me.

But really, why did I want their approval if they didn't like me? Wait, who said that they wouldn't like me? So what, I was mainly a pretty introverted person but I'm sure somebody would like me…maybe…

We reached the classroom and the headmistress politely knocked on the sturdy oak door. It's funny how professional people always knock politely. They hardly ever add in a little rhythm to it. Jazz, Blues, or watered-down rock door knocks. I smiled at this strange thought of placing genres to door knocks when finally an elderly woman about 65 years old opened the door to reveal an immaculately clean classroom.

There was no gum anywhere! Wow. After being in the public school system my entire life this was quite a shock. The tables and chairs were set up like they were all the inhabitants of some English private boarding school common room.

"Good morning class. We have a new student at Harbor. Her name is Chelsea Atwood and here she is."

"I got dragged into the classroom where I felt the entire class's eyes on me. A few looking up and down, a few nodding in approval and a few giving dismissing shakes. I looked at Marissa, Ryan, Seth, Summer, Anna and Clayton and they looked like the most welcoming people in the classroom.

Although Clayton kind of looked down when I looked towards him, he still seemed friendly enough. I saw that they had saved a seat for me at their table. Right in between Clayton and Ryan. I laughed internally and realised that Ryan had done this purposefully.

"Well, Miss Atwood, are you Ryan's sister?"

"Umm, yes ma'am."

"Would you like to tell the class about yourself?"

I walked over to the front of the class confidently and stared into everybody's eyes.

"Well, Mrs Greenwood, as you probably know I came to Newport from Chino just a few days ago."

"Ok, so how old are you Chelsea? Tell us a bit about yourself."

I groaned internally. I did not want to share with the class my private interests and hobbies. I'll just have to make it as brief as possible.

"Well, I'm 15 years old and I'm really into music, of all kinds."

When I said that I noticed that Clayton perked up a little bit. Maybe he was a musician too. Oooh, that's a good way to get a date….Ok, I know, I'm dreaming, but I can dream can't I? I mean such a good-looking guy like him probably has swarms of girls swooning over him.

"Do you play any instruments?"

"Ahh, yeah. I play piano, guitar and a little bass. I sing also."

"Would you like to perform something for us?"

"Umm, perhaps another time" I said doubtfully.

"You can take a seat now Chelsea. Thankyou very much for coming up here and sharing that with us. Perhaps you could sit next to Jemima, there is an empty spot next to her.

I looked at the girl who was supposedly Jemima. She seemed friendly enough, at least she smiled. Luckily Marissa saved me.

"Mrs Greenwood, excuse me Mrs Greenwood," Marissa flailed an arm around a bit to get the teacher's attention.

"We saved a spot for Chelsea right here."

"Oh, then perhaps it would be better sitting with some familiar people, hey?"

I quietly thanked Jemima for letting me sit next to her for that brief period of time and walked over to the vacant space at the table across the room.

I sensed Clayton looking at me as I sat down and got my books out of my bag.

Mrs Greenwood had already started reading a passage from what I think was "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath.

"…The day I went into Physics class, it was death. A short dark man with a high, lisping voice, named Mr Manzi, stood in front of the class in a tight blue suit holding a little wooden ball. He put the ball on a steep, grooved…"

It was at this point that I realised that I didn't actually have a book. I had read "The Bell Jar" before but it felt odd being the only class without one in front of them.

Suddenly, sensing my need for a book in front of me, Clayton placed his book between us. I smiled a thankyou in return but he just turned his head back down to the text, but I could see, he was blushing!

A smile of satisfaction spread across my face as I sat there listening to various people in the class being chosen to read different pages.

The bell quickly broke the silence of the room and Clayton hurriedly started packing away his things. I started putting all my things away and walked out of the door.

I waited for the rest of them just outside the door. A few people said goodbye to me on the way out and I politely said goodbye too. I noticed that as Seth was coming out of the door a few people sniggered and made comments about him.

I was angered at this and my anger just kept building up until they asked if I was ready to go.

I looked back at one of the guys who sniggered. He was pretty good looking, but he was that pretty-boy type. I could sense how conceited he was. But, I guess, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover; I mean that is what people do to me all the time.

We found another table in the back corner of the History room and everybody just kind of started talking. I felt out of place in their conversation so I just sat back and observed everyone.

So far, I knew that Seth was also known as "emo kid", and in a bad way. Ryan, well, Ryan was kind of respected, or feared.

A middle aged man walked into the room and after a few attempts to get the class to shut up, finally succeeded at bringing the entire class's attention to him.

I guess he didn't realise I was there until I rose my hand to answer a question. He absent mindedly waved in my direction for me to answer.

"Well, sir, the entire-"

"Sorry, are you in the wrong class miss?" he asked.

The entire class erupted into laughter.

"Sir, I'm new to the school, it is my first day. You just didn't notice me."

"Ok, well, what is your name?" he asked, reaching for the class list of names, ready to add mine to it until the official one came in.

"Chelsea, Chelsea Atwood."

He gave Ryan and I a look.

"Yes, we're related." I answered and the class laughed again. I saw that Clayton started smiling. Good, very good.

The lesson ended 20 minutes later and thankfully, lunch was next.

The place was beautiful. We walked through the arcade kind of place where some people were playing Pac-Man and pool and other lounging about. I must have walked through the entire room with my mouth hanging open.

Clayton sniggered. I turned to him and he just smiled his lop-sided smile.

"You'll get used to it." He simply said and we all continued walking until we came outside and got a table.

"So, what do I do now?" I asked them all.

"Well, today they have sushi so lunch it pretty good today." Summer answered.

"Wow, you have sushi at school!" I said in disbelief.

"Ok, I'm getting shocked at everything, I'm just going to remain mild from now on. Nothing can shock me."

"Hey." Said Clayton, walking up from behind me, he went to get some bubblegum from the machine.

I shrieked and jumped from my seat.

Then I realised who it was and sat back down.

"Hey, I'm so sorry for scaring you like that Chelsea." He said earnestly.

Everybody had started laughing at me. Well, laughing with me because I was laughing too at that coincidence.

"I should be the one saying sorry, I knocked the bubblegum from your hand. I should get you a new one."

"It's fine, serious, I'll just get another one," said Clayton before he just started walking off again.

"How would you buy him a new one anyways Chelsea?" asked Ryan.

"I'd ask you." I smiled sweetly.

"So, are we going to get our food, I'm starved?" asked Anna.

We all got up except for Ryan.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked

"Yeah, in a second, I just need to tell Clayton something."

We all got in line at the back and waited for it to move.

"So, Chelsea, we were thinking, that we should do something for you, like something fun," said Summer.

"Yeah, somewhere fun, where we don't have to always be surrounded by all these boys," said Marissa

"Hey, I resent that" said Seth who was standing next to Summer.

"So, we were thinking, we should have a Golden Girls sleepover party!" said Anna.

"Yeah, it would all be at my house, so no one would be home, just us because my Dad is away on a never ending business trip, and I have the entire collection of Golden Girls DVD's!" said Summer.

"Oh, how I envy you. The entire collection!" said Anna to Summer.

Ok, so I wasn't a big fan of the Golden Girl's but at least I was being accepted. At least girls were starting to like me, and to invite someone you don't even know that well on a sleepover was a major step.

I smiled at them and got all excited at the idea.

"I'd love to come! Thankyou so much for asking, I thought I'd be stuck with Ryan doing French braids for the rest of my life."

"Ryan can French braid?" Marissa asked amused.

"Yeah, well, when my mom was out drunk or doped up, nobody could really get me ready for school, so Ryan taught himself how to do French braids so that he could help me, because mine sucked if I did them by myself."

"Aww, how sweet!" said Summer.

"There is a lot to Ryan that you don't know." I said smiling.

"Tell us, tell us!" said Summer.

"Ahh, no, they are just too humiliating, I couldn't do that to my brother, could I?"

We started giggling until some group of guys came over towards us and joined the line.

Seth, Marissa, Anna and Summer all had a look of annoyance on their faces when they came over.

"Hey, girls," the apparent leader said.

"It's Chelsea, right?" he asked sweetly.

I remembered him, he was one of the guys that said something bad about Seth.

"We're in English and History together aren't we?" he said again, with what seemed like an indelible smile plastered onto his perfect face.

"Uhh, yeah." I said unimpressed because of his earlier comments.

"Well, hello there Miss Chelsea Atwood, my name is Jack, it is truly an honour to meet you."

He then started going for my hand but I kind of got scared and squished myself further backwards, almost knocking Anna over.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend, I just wanted to give your pretty hands a kiss."

"Uhh, leave her alone Jack" Anna said in pure disgust.

"What, are you jealous Anna? Emo-geek here not giving you any?" they all sniggered and laughed to themselves.

"Hey, shut up you asshole." Summer said, clearly pissed off.

"Or what? You're actually going to stop being a slut if I leave you guys alone. So anyways," he turned back to look at me, " so I was thinking, maybe we could go out sometime, I could give you the time of your life you know?" he said, winking at me, too self-assured for my liking.

I shook my head in pure revulsion. "You actually think that after you insult my friends that I'd want to have your hot little hands anywhere near me? Yeah, the time of my life, aha, yeah, I sure want to be pressed up against some dirty wall at the back of some club being slobbered on by some STI infected jerk."

All his friends started laughing at him for being turned down and they just left us alone, finally.

The line moved forward and Seth handed me my sushi packet on a tray as well as an orange juice and a bowl of ice-cream sundae, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"You can fight, girl. You definitely got that gene like Ryan did. Except you don't fight with your hands, you've got verbal impaling weapons hidden down your skirt, don't you?" said Seth.

I smiled and we found our places at the table.

When Ryan and Clayton finally came back they looked at us kind of weirdly.

"You guys look like you've just witnessed an important moment in history." Clayton said.

"Well, we did, an important moment in Harbor history anyways. Ryan, Jack Donahue was trying to hit on your sister and she totally turned him down, in the process humiliating him."

"That bastard did what?!"

"Hey, it's fine now. He's left us alone now I guess."

I could sense Clayton getting angry as well as Ryan. Let's just say that I had had enough experience with angry people.

Anna giggled. "What did you say again? He was like and STI infested jerk or something." She laughed out loud.

"I tell you guys, she was good, she was very good, he was totally cracking onto her with the hand kissing bullshit and she told him straight off how she felt about him," said Marissa.

All through the conversation I just kind of stared down at my food and ate quietly while they chattered on about me being some kind of American hero.

"So, are you ok now Chels?"

I looked up for a moment. "Yeah, sure, I'm fine, it was nothing really." Truthfully, I wasn't really that happy at what had just happened. It just brought back too many memories, memories I'd rather have locked away.

I looked back down to my half-eaten sundae. Everybody started talking again, except for Clayton. I could sense him staring at me. I hated it when people stared at me, it made me feel very self-conscious.

Clayton bent his head closer down to mine.

"Are you sure, that you're ok?" he asked, almost whispering. He was so sweet.

I looked back up at him and instantly all my bad memories floated away as I looked up at his smiling face.

"Not really, but, I'm ok now. Thanks for asking" I replied. The bell rudely interrupted a wonderful conversation starter with Clayton.

"My pleasure," he replied.

"Hey we have Music now right?" Seth asked.

"Yeah, my favourite." Said Clayton and we walked over in a pack to the music rooms.

"Uhh, I have to break my fake nails again on that damn guitar," said Summer.

Music class was so fun. The teacher was a walking textbook except she was actually interesting.

But what amazed me most, was how brilliant Clayton was. His was like a musical genius. His guitar skills were so advanced I was shocked and amazed in a good way. My feeble pluckings seemed like nothing compared to him.

I walked over to him and just kind of sat and stared at him playing. I think my mouth must have just started opening and I probably looked like an idiot when he looked up from his guitar.

He laughed. Not a menacing laugh, a sweet laugh. A kind laugh.

"I hear that you play?"

"After watching you, it doesn't even look like I play anymore. How did you get so good?"

"Well, my parents wanted me to play piano. So they sent me to lessons and I was a good 8 year old for the first few weeks until I discovered the guitar. Anyways, I ended up taking the money my mother gave me for piano into the guitar lessons and I worked so hard, just to prove to them that I could be great at guitar player, so that I didn't have to do piano."

I laughed at him when the bell went.

"Hmm, that always seems to happen when our conversations just start doesn't it?"

he said and walked over to his desk to get his books.

**Author's Note – **Hmmm, now that I've finished reading that chapter, what should I do? Hmmm, I know! Why don't I review this, right now?

Ok, you heard, please go and review. Just do it right now. Just like drop your sandwich, stop your dance and go and click that little purple button. It seriously doesn't take long to do. Just think of it, as a good act.


	10. Chapter 10 Chino Flashback Session

**Author's Note – ****Wow! I am really proud of all of you guys! I got so many wonderful reviews, and thankyou everyone for your support involving 'that' issue…:-) Give yourselves a cookie!**

**Also,**

**This is especially directed to _Lola_ and _Morningraindrops,_ (you know who you are evil grin), but really, for anyone who reviews or will review my work. If you review, or ever talk to me, please don't start guessing plots as if they are just so predictable. Please? :-) lol**

**Chapter 10**

**Chino Flashback Session**

When I arrived back at the Cohen's house I quickly went into my bedroom, took off my shoes, put on my headphones and sunk into my bed, beneath my clean sheets. How could I ever think that nothing like that would ever happen again? I sighed and started reminiscing about the old days. Coming to the Cohen's house didn't just save me from poverty, it saved me from my own self destruction, in more ways than one…

START OF FLASHBACK

"So, you know, I was thinking, it could just be a secret you know. We don't have to tell everyone that we're dating."

When Eddie had said 'dating' I could see the smile cross his face. He was happy about this definitely. We couldn't tell everyone for obvious reasons. I mean, I was 13 and he was nearly 18, a senior. Or he would be a senior if he hadn't dropped out. But as he said, what use was school if he couldn't make money from it? He just wanted to be able to buy me nice things.

He saw my mom and how there was always enough money for whisky or marijuana, he just wanted to help me out a little bit.

"Of course it can be a secret," I sweetly replied and as he bent lower to give me a kiss, I placed my hands around his shoulders to steady myself.

Ok, so in an alley, or behind a wall somewhere, or in his beat-up car weren't really romantic locations, but Eddie took care of me and when we did go out, he would always be so sweet, and all the horrible thoughts and memories I had were just blown out of my head.

If people found out that we were together, it would cause so much of an uproar. I mean, people wouldn't be able to see that our relationship was real, that we loved each other and that Eddie was not going to take advantage of me. He told me, he promised, that when I was ready, and only then, that we could have sex.

I really trusted Eddie, he had my heart, soul and all my love. I fantasized about our wedding day. We'd get married as soon as I had left school. I'd have a pure white, strapless dress, covered in intricate patterns of clear glass beads. Four bride's maids and I'd have a diamond ring. My hair would be perfectly done and then, the whole world would know how we felt about each other.

Then we'd go on a honeymoon to Tahiti. Oh, how I love Tahiti. It has been my fantasy destination since forever.

And we'd live happily ever after. Or at least, that is how I had imagined it to be…

END OF FLASHBACK

I opened up my eyes again and saw Ryan standing at my door.

"Hey Chelsea. Are you alright? You seemed a bit distant on the way home. Did anything happen at school that I should know about?" He played the perfect part as 'protective older brother', he really did.

This was not the right time to tell him about what I was thinking about. I don't think I'll ever tell him. I guess he has just accepted who I am. There is no need to bother him about it. I'll get over it. I know I will…One day, I guess…

"Hey it's nothing, really. The whole 'first day' shock thingy has just been going on. I seem to be experiencing many firsts lately." I said, looking down at the floor.

By now, it was about 6:30 pm and Seth, Anna, Ryan and I were just lounging on the couch watching TV.

I heard Kirsten unlock the door and enter the house.

"Hey everybody." She said as she put down some bags onto the kitchen bench and walked for the living room where on our faces we wore morose looks of boredom.

"Mooom!" Seth whined dramatically. "We're booored!"

I giggled at Seth's melodramatic display.

"What are we having for dinner Kirsten?" I asked.

"My specialty," She replied happily.

The thing about Kirsten's cooking, is that it is a well known fact that it is…bad, to say the least. I have been lucky enough not to ever have to try her burnt microwavable porridge, or her sunken, uncooked souffle's but it was common knowledge around the Cohen household, never to let Kirsten cook anything, **ever.** And I, was becoming more apart of the Cohen household every day.

"Don't look so discouraged Chelsea," said Seth, "Mom's specialty consists of ordering Chinese food. Pork Moo Shu here we come."

We continued watching the TV show that I wasn't really paying much attention to until the food came. Anna left and Sandy came, that was the 10th hour. I really hadn't been to church in a while.

I know it would seem strange that I am rather a devout Catholic, but when I was 13, I realised that this was exactly what I needed to do. God had helped me through my darkest hours ever and He continues to help me.

A little while later I crawled into bed, turned off my light and stared at my ceiling.

Why couldn't I escape all this shit? Why did I have to be constantly reminded? The scenes replaying over and over in my head. I was so humiliated, so deeply scarred.

I started weeping into my pillow. Not weeping because of my loss, or weeping out of self-pity, weeping out of the constant reminder that was set off every so often, like an alarm, to start shaking my whole body, and breaking me down to a quivering mess. How can I be so weak?

I lay in silence for a while. My thoughts grew to become slightly more positive ones and I got over my depression.

Clayton, how I long for him to come and hold me in his arms. Just to hold me and take me forever. He is so kind, so sweet and smart. Just so, Clayton. I'm not sure exactly what my feelings are, but I know that they are definitely strong.

CLAYTON'S POV –

Do you know what her hair smells like? It smells so sweet, so pure and innocent. It smells of fruit. I have to force myself not to glide my hands through them.

It's hard. Keeping away from her. Not being able to see her at every waking moment. Not be able to hear her. The silence in the classroom, the droning, monotonous, repetitive voices of whichever teacher we may have, just prevent her from talking. Her voice, it is so lovely. I can't touch her either. English today was the worst. I was sitting right next to her and the closest I got to her was 'accidentally' brushing my knee against hers for a few seconds.

I know, I am definitely sad. If anybody were to know these thoughts in my mind right now, I would definitely be severely mocked.

But she just seems so, so perfect, and I want her. I need her. But I'm too afraid of rejection. Why do I have to be afraid?

People say that if you're tall and bigger than everybody else, that people find you more intimidating, but really, compared to me, a short girl was the most intimidating person I've ever known.

It's like when she walks into a room, she takes everybody. She grabs you unexpectedly, shakes you then lets you go again, as if nothing ever happened.

But though she intimidates me, I sense an innocence, a longing deep within her. Like, though things may be going well, there will always be a great longing for something more. Love? Warmth? Protection? Happiness? I'd like to think that I can be the fulfiller of all those things for her. Because I know, that I love her.

I may have only known her for a little while, but I know that I want to be with her. If only I can make her see.

I hope, I sincerely hope that she doesn't change for the worse. I want her to stay, the wonderful way she is. I really hope that she can accept me too.

Because on the outside, I may seem collected. But only my thoughts know the true feelings inside of me, behind my exterior.

It was so sweet how she watched me play guitar today. She seems genuinely interested. Interested in what though? Me or my guitar playing? Hopefully both, but I'd settle for the 'Me' part too.

How long will I wait though? I know that I will have to make the first move if she doesn't within the few weeks or so. I want her that badly. I want to hold her and be her rock in times of trouble. Be her friend.

I was so pissed off at Jack for doing that to her today. When they were telling the story I got so worried that she actually accepted the date with him. But I guess, the way she brought herself past the superficiality of him, kind of proves that she isn't as easily taken over to the 'dark side', as I like to call it, as I thought.

I guess I just need to have more faith in her. In everyone.


	11. Chapter 11 Orange County Morning

**Chapter 11**

**Orange County Morning**

The mornings are too predictable in Orange County. Ok, so I've only been here for three days, but each day, I wake up to the same sun, shining in the same position, through the same window. I also stumble around my room looking for my grounding, and bump into the walls in the same places too.

But today, the sun doesn't shine. It is 4 am and I can't sleep. I can't wait out the next few hours.

So this morning, I'm going for a walk. By myself through Newport, to see an unbiased picture of the town in which, one day, I hope to call home.

I changed my pyjama pants into sweatpants, slipped some socks and my Converses onto my feet and wrapped a jacket around my PowerPuff Girls pyjama tank top.

I silently slipped out of the house and started slowly padding down the street. Only the streetlights were on, everybody was asleep, like I should be.

Was I meant to leave a note? I'll probably be back before anybody decides to check up on me, so I guess it wouldn't matter much. And I'm sure that 4am on a Tuesday morning is a really peak hour time for thugs to come take 15 year old girls.

I set my more logical thoughts aside to experience the early morning. It was too warm for a jacket so I removed it to reveal my bare shoulders.

I kept walking down the streets of Newport until I reached the beach. It was so beautiful at night. I loved the fact that the waves still crashed when nobody was around. They gave up for nobody and for nothing. They were so defiant and strong. They represented everything that I wanted to be.

I walked along the sand and went to the docks. I could see the fishermen coming in from a night out in the ocean. Some successful and some not so successful, but each one has tried. It was comforting to see them. They worked honestly. They worked earnestly, and sometimes you forget that when you get caught up in the superficial things, the things that don't actually matter that much.

I looked up at the moon. The exact same moon that I saw at home. I sat myself down on a huge rock about 2 metres away from the ocean and tears started streaming down my cheeks. I wasn't crying out of sadness or happiness, but of pure nostalgia.

I brought my knees up to my face and buried my face into my jacket that had been scrunched up on my knees. After a few minutes I brought my tear streaked face up to look at the ocean again.

The sun had started rising. I could see the orange-ness emanating from the horizon.

"Did you come out for the sunrise?" A voice said from behind me. I knew that voice.

I turned around to face him.

"Clayton…no, I just wanted to see Newport, and I figured that if I went at a normal hour, that there would just be too many people around."

"Well, the sunrise is really beautiful around here." He said looking out at the horizon.

"Why are _you_ here then Clayton?" I asked him smiling.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep really. Just something on my mind you know."

"Anything I can help you with?" I asked, trying to be a good friend.

"No, not really, not at the moment. It doesn't matter, it will pass soon enough."

"Oh well, if you ever need to talk or anything, you know I'm here."

"Thanks, and me to you."

"So, you said that the sunrise is beautiful around here, where else have you seen the sunrise? Are you not from Newport."

"No, I moved here from Connecticut. I've lived in Newport for about 2 years now. I used to live here until I was about 10 but then we moved."

"Wow, that was a big move. Do you miss your old friends?"

"Sure, I mean, of course I miss all the people that I've lived around but I wouldn't want to leave this place, all these friends I've made around here, I wouldn't want to give it all up."

"See, I don't get that. I get this 'outcast' vibe from you all." I smiled. "I don't mean that to offend you guys in any way, I mean, it is good, but I've seen the way people treat Seth, and look at Ryan-"

"I get what you're saying," he said laughing to himself. "I know, we are basically all socially rejected, for our own reasons I guess, but what I have here in Newport, it is just so much more real. In Connecticut, I had lots of friends, and you could say that we were one of the popular groups around the school. But when I look at the relationship I had with those people, and the relationship I have with my friends here, it doesn't matter that I'm somewhat of an 'outcast' now."

I started mock-applauding him and laughing. He did that sweet smile again that nearly brought me to tears, but I controlled myself and finally spoke.

"Nice Oscar-speech Mr Clayton…ummm, what **_is_** your last name?" I asked laughing.

"Hoffman. It is Clayton John Hoffman." (AN – The last name Hoffman, is subject to change at any time I think of one I like better. Clayton's last name got changed from Gilmore, to Taylor, to Goldwyn, and is currently set at Hoffman)

"Well, Clayton John Hoffman, tell me," I became serious now, "Why have you been outcasted?"

CLAYTON'S POV

She looked at me with those sincere, blue eyes. How could I lie to her? I can't lie to her. If I did any chance of **_us, _**would go down the drain.

But… But… Wait? What am I thinking? She hangs around with us. Her brother is like us. She had it worse off than me. I can't believe I'm so stupid to think that she would even care about that. Why would she let my whole situation interfere with the relationship we have, or lack thereof.

"Well," I cleared my throat, "It is simple really. I may go to flashy, up-market private school, and hang around rich kids from Newport, but really, I'm not."

"You're not what?" she asked puzzled.

Gosh, even when she was confused she was pretty. She still made me go crazy, she made me feel like I needed to touch her, to taste her lips against mine. No, they weren't all libidinous feelings that I had for her. Somehow, she just made me love everything about her.

Yes, love. I love her. At least, I think that I love her. But my feelings make this whole situation much more complicated. Why would she even look at me in ways that would mean that she didn't see me as her brother's friend? I've never laboured under the illusion that I was some heartthrob.

"I'm not rich like them," I said, throwing my arm out towards the city to point out all the wealthy people inhabiting the enormous houses.

"The reason why I go to such an expensive private school is because my parents work hard to pay for it. My mom is a receptionist at a doctor's office and my dad is a mathematics teacher at Newport High. They basically work longer hours than they need to, and have skimped on holidays and extras just to give me a good education."

"That's so cruel. They've rejected you because you haven't got an excess in the cash flow?"

Yes! She was taking this well. I stood up and let my hand out to her to help her stand up too.

"Well, you may not be rich in money, Mr Hoffman," she said, taking my hand, "but I think that you're rich in talent."

She gave me one of those smiles that nearly made my knees buckle. How can I keep doing this to myself!? I need to tell her how I feel. At this point in time, I seriously don't care if she rejects me, I'm in my moment of madness and I better take advantage of it before I chicken out.

I opened my mouth to say the words that were forming in my brain.

"Anyways, I better be off. If I don't go back to the Cohen's house soon they'll probably send out a search party. It was really nice having this conversation Clayton. See you at school."

She walked off and looked back to give me a smile and a small wave and I just stood there glued to my spot.

Damnation! This sucked. Why did she have to go right when I was about to tell her how I felt about her?

Maybe she could sense what was coming on and decided to make a getaway before I made a fool of myself. She is just so perfect that I bet that she does have the ability to do that. She also was too nice to let me say things that would just embarrass me so she left.

Damn this, this sucked and I sucked.

I started walking home and the logical part of my brain started to function again, so of course, I was back to my pining puppy state.


	12. Chapter 12 Breakfast with the Hoffman's

**Author's Note – Where have all my lovely reviews gone? Hardly anybody is reviewing anymore…I guess maybe this is my fault for not updating in a while…**

**FYI – Chapter 11 has been altered a little bit. Clayton now says that he has lived in Connecticut, but that he was born in Newport and lived here until he was 10. You'll understand why I've changed it when you read this getting-to-know-you chapter all in Clayton's POV!**

**Enjoy – **

**Helena**

**Chapter 12**

**Breakfast with the Hoffman's**

CLAYTON'S POV – (A.N, have you read the author's note!!!???)

It was already 6am by the time I walked back to my house on the other side of town, my little place in middle class suburbia.

I opened our wooden gate and walked down the pavement path past the flowers and green hedges that my mother tended to religiously. Not wanting to wake up my 3-year-old sister Jackie and my 5-year-old brother Benjy by ringing the bell, I searched through the pockets of my dickies for the house key.

I pushed through the front door to find a note left from my mother to cook the pancake batter she prepared for breakfast. I took the post-it down and scrunched the fluoro paper into my pocket.

My keys made a slight clang as I dropped them onto the kitchen bench. As usual, my parents had already left for work, and I was left alone with the kids to feed and drop off at school. Honestly, I do appreciate the sacrifices my parents had made for our education, but seriously, sometimes I wonder about their parenting abilities.

Not that they were care-free hippies, they were a pretty conservative pair, but they had so much trust in me it was scary sometimes.

I poured myself a glass of orange and pineapple juice and went to my room. I had at least an hour to kill before I had to make breakfast, so I went onto my computer.

_Verifying username and password. _As the Internet went through its usual processes I quietly sipped at my juice. _Authenticated._

I signed into my MSN account and saw that Seth was online. No sooner had I realised this, that annoying MSN sound came through my speakers. As I was being alerted to Seth initiating a conversation with me, I quickly turned down my volume and opened up the window.

_CaptainOats says: _Hey man. What's up? You don't usually get up this early…

_Clayton says: _How do you know when I get up? :-)

_Captain Oats says: _I don't know, you just don't seem like the person who gets up this early…wait, what the hell was that?

_Clayton says: _What the hell was what?

_Captain Oats says: _Somebody just walked into my house dude…I need to see who it is. What do you recommend, a baseball bat or a kitchen pot?

_Clayton says_: You watch way too many movies man. I bet it is just Chelsea walking in.

_Captain Oats_ _says_: Why would it be Chelsea?

_Clayton says_: I don't know…just go see…

Captain Oats is currently set to 'Away' 

I waited a few minutes and as expected Seth came online stunned.

_Captain Oats says: _Dude, are you psychic or something? It was Chelsea walking into the house.

_Clayton says: _Not psychic, she went for a walk, so did I, and well, we met at Newport beach.

_Captain Oats says: _What did you guys do ;-) lol!

_Clayton says: _We just talked! We're just friends!

_Captain Oats says: _Yeah, sure, you guys just 'talked'. I know that you have a crush on her man, and I have a feeling that she likes you too, in a more than a friend kind of way. :-)

_Clayton says: _Are you serious dude?

_Captain Oats says: _So you are interested!

_Clayton says: _Ok, fine, you found me out ok. I like her…I really like her…a lot…

_Captain Oats says: _Oooooooh, widdle Cwayton has a crushie wushie on my step sister….wait…am I supposed to be encouraging you? I've never been the older brother before…

_Clayton says: _You call that encouraging?

_Captain Oats says: _I'll have to ask Ryan about how I'm supposed to feel about some guy wanting to jump my sister…:-)

_Clayton says: _NO!!! Please, for the love of God don't tell Ryan!

_Captain Oats says: _Just joking with you man, lol :-)

_Clayton says: _Please Seth, don't tell anyone, not yet anyways. Can you do that? Please!

_Captain Oats says: _Sure man, puts on Barbie voice What are friends for? Giggles

_Clayton says: _Shut up man :-)

_Captain Oats says: _Sure, that was waaay too girly even for me…lol

I looked at the little clock on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen and realised that it was 6:30am.

_Clayton says: _Seth, I've got to go and make breakfast for Jacks and Benj ok. See you later.

_Captain Oats says: _Sure man, hey, tell J and B, that my mom wants them to come over one night cause she hasn't seen them in a while.

_Clayton says: _Sure, it's so weird how your mom plays surrogate-grandma with J and B, lol :-)

_Captain Oats says: _Well, my mom and dad have known you guys for so long. I mean we're practically extended family. We swam naked in your paddling pool together when we were two. Doesn't that show brotherly affection? Ok, I know that you must be punching me right now, and yes I do like girls, idiot. Lol. She must miss having little kids around I guess.

_Clayton says: _Please Seth, no more, I don't need to be reminded of those paddling-pool experiences. Lol. Bye. See you at school.

_Captain Oats says: _Bye Bye

I signed out of MSN, disconnected the Internet and walked over to Benjy's room.

"Benjy, wake up, it's like 6:45 already." Benjy slept like a dead log and the only way to get him up was to repeatedly, gently tap him on the forehead while saying Benjy over and over again.

I began my routine and eventually he started to show some sort of life.

"Get ready, Benj, the babysitter is coming early today for Jackie and she freaks me out so I want to out of the house by the time she gets here."

He wordlessly agreed to my reasoning and after stumbling a bit began to push me out of the room to let him get ready.

I started heating up the pan and the butter and gently picked up some batter with the ladle and let it fall back into the bowl that it had been made in.

Why did my mom try to make it from scratch again? My mom is kind of a Kirsten story I guess. She can't cook, and when she tries to, it turns out pretty bad. Well, I can't really blame my mom, for not being that domesticated I mean.

Her life is a lot like a Kirsten story too, not all of it, but some of it. They were best friends all throughout school and college, and they still are. They came from rich backgrounds, all the boys chasing them. They both went for the poor guy so to speak, in Kirsten's case Sandy and in my Mom's case, my Dad. The one difference that changed everything was that, when my Kirsten was married and was pregnant with Seth, my Mom was unmarried and pregnant with me.

This basically got her shunned from most people in their country club circles. My grandparents, who still talk to Benjy, Jackie and I and who still send Birthday, Easter and Christmas presents, didn't want to risk being shunned too, so cut off all connections with their daughter.

It's been that way until a few weeks ago actually. Grandpa decided to talk with his daughter and they've invited us to their house this weekend for lunch. Hopefully this will be a chance for things to be better between us all. I don't want to still have monitored and forced conversations with Grandma and Grandpa 4 times a year. I don't want to be seen as the illegitimate son of 'that' girl and the poor boy who tore their family apart.

When I was younger I used to feel that way. I used to feel that if I wasn't born then maybe we'd all be better for it. Then I stopped blaming myself, and I started blaming my parents. That was about the same time I took their piano money to play the guitar.

I eventually got over it I guess. I still think that it would be nice if we could be a family again though. Grandparents day at school isn't as fun when you're grandparents aren't there because they don't want to be seen with you by all their socialite friends.

I poured the last of the lumpy pancake batter into the pan and when it was done added it to the stack. After placing the milk, syrup, plates and cutlery on the table I went to wake up Jackie.

To my luck she was already awake.

"Heya Clay. Hehe, can I call you Clay, cause that is what mommy calls you and Michelle let me play with clay yesterday? I think that's funny." She started laughing as I held her hand and led her into the kitchen.

I looked at the clock that was on the microwave and started piling up the pancakes onto everybody's plate and pouring syrup onto them.

"Eat quick guys, Michelle will be here any minute. Are you packed for school Benjy?"

He didn't respond due to the sickeningly large amount of pancakes and syrup stuffed in his mouth, so I took his frantic nod to be a yes.

The anticipated ring of the doorbell finally arrived when I finished clearing up the dishes.

I put a fake smile on my face and unlocked the door.

"Hi Clayton!" she said far to enthusiastically for my liking.

"Uh, yeah, hi Michelle, my mom has left a cheque for you ok, just let me go get it and Benjy and I will be out of your hair in no time…"

I quickly left the front door and faintly heard her say something like 'you can be in my hair any day Clayton'. I grunted silently and retrieved the cheque from the drawer.

"Come on Benj, let's go." I kissed Jackie on the head and said goodbye.

"Here," I said, handing Michelle the cheque. "Bye Jacks."

I turned around and walked over to my car. "Have you got your seatbelt on?"

"Yeah"

I turned on my CD player and pushed in the 'Under the Pink' CD by Tori Amos.

"Do we have to listen to this Clayton? Why can't you listen to normal music?" I laughed at Benjy and just kept driving until we came to his elementary school.

He picked up his bag and started to open the door.

"Bye Benjy, tomorrow, I promise that we'll listen to 'normal' music, ok?"

"Ok, See you later."

I watched him walk over to his friends and then turned my care around to drive to Harbor, which was only a few blocks away.

When I had reached the gate of the student car park I spotted Seth, Marissa, Ryan and Chelsea standing near a huge tree in the courtyard.

"ID please sir," the security guard asked me.

I turned my head away from Chelsea and quickly found my school ID card and handed it to him.

"Please proceed sir."

The usually people were making out on the hoods of their cars so it wasn't that interesting. Suddenly, Anna's car started to come through the gate so I waited for her to get out so that we could walk together.

I walked over to her car window once she had stopped.

"Hey Anna," I said.

"Why good morning Clayton, you oddly perky this morning. What's happened?" She turned around into her car to fetch her books and handbag for the day.

"Nothing, nothing, I just wanted to come and say hello."

She turned back around and got out of the car laughing, you're a funny one Clayton."

"Why did you bring Jenga today, I thought that most people in the group banned you and Seth from playing at school?"

"Yes, but Clayton, they didn't ban Chelsea and I from playing it!"

We walked down to where the rest of our friends were and said our usual greetings. I was trying to be extra nice to Chelsea this morning ad she in all her ravishing beauty was very nice to me. But I noticed, that when Seth looked at me, he had a sly smile on his face.

"What!?" I demanded off him.

He just whispered, "You really do like her, don't you?"


	13. Chapter 13 Mommy's 60's Paraphernalia

**Chapter 13**

**Mommy's 60's Paraphernalia**

When I woke up this morning, I had no idea what to wear. So, I opened up the luggage in the back of my closet (that had finally been unpacked into with all of my clothes) and searched through what was left of my mom's things. Most of the letters, no matter how interesting they were, I had to leave untouched because I would be running extremely late if I pulled up a blanket and stated sifting through memories. I moved straight into the clothes.

And that is where I found it. An entire pile of clothes my mom must have worn when she was my age back in the 60's. I guess when I was packing up her stuff the day I moved to Newport, I was too hurt to separate and sort the stuff and actually see what I was putting in there. I knew that there were old clothes in there. And this knowledge merited a good snoop around in the past fashion of my mother.

I heard a knock on my door and quickly scrambled up from the floor to answer the door.

"Hey, Chels-" Ryan started saying after I let him into my room, but quickly changed his neutral tone of voice to shock when he noticed what I was sifting through on the floor.

"Are those mom's clothes?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I brought them with me. I didn't leave anything at the house that could fit into my luggage."

"Yes, I guess that's the reasoning behind bringing the egg beaters."

"Hey! You looked through my stuff? You jerk, Ryan!"

"I didn't look through your stuff Chelsea. I swear to you. I just saw the egg beaters in the closet," he pointed to my open closet and I realised that they were clearly visible amongst the throng of other strange objects I had acquired from our house in Chino.

"Fine!" I said defeated and moved onto to looking at that dress I really liked. It was a tight, lime green mini-dress that stopped about a 1/2 of the way down my thighs and had short sleeves.

I slipped it on straight away because Ryan had left the room already. I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Hmm," I thought to myself as I picked at the cloth on the dress, fixing it all up.

"Wow, Mom was the same size as me when she was younger." I said to myself. I fastened a white belt I found amongst the clothes around my hips and slipped on some white wedge heels.

I then took it all off and had a shower.

After I showered and blow-dried my hair, I concealed and applied foundation to my face and put a clear gloss onto my lips. I lined my eyes with green too, put on two coats of mascara and applied a light green eye shadow to my lids. I quickly ran a brush through my hair and packed my bag with my schoolbooks and such.

I tried to walk into the busy Cohen kitchen barely noticed until Kirsten announced my arrival that morning.

"Morning Chelsea! Would you like a bagel honey?" she asked sweetly and she already took out a bagel for me and cut it in half.

"Good morning. Yeah, a bagel would be nice thanks."

"What would you like in it?" Kirsten asked

"Umm, cream cheese, if you have any of course."

"Sure thing." She said, and flashed me another smile. I smiled back in gratitude and faced back to Sandy, Seth and Ryan.

"Morning Chelsea." Said Sandy. "Any plans for the day?"

"Umm, not that I know of really. Am I meant to have plans?" I asked slightly confused.

He chuckled and continued "No, but you know, if you want to go out with friends you can. You just have to tell us where you are and when you'll be back and you'll most probably be allowed to go. Don't think that you have to stay home all the time."

"I'll remember that," I said and within the a few seconds a cream cheese covered bagel on a shiny white plate was sat in front of me as well as a tall, frosty glass of Hershey's chocolate milk.

"Wow, you remembered that I liked chocolate milk. Thankyou Kirsten, not for just this, but for paying for me to live here and have a good education" I said sincerely and turned back to look at Sandy. "And thankyou too Sandy, for letting me stay here with you and thankyou Seth for accepting me, and thankyou Ryan for answering my phone call."

I smiled and focused all my energies into eating my food. I think there were words of gratitude but I was too happy to concentrate on anything but what I was thinking. I am so, so lucky!

I walked, still in my trance to brush my teeth and then re-applied some lip-gloss.

Off to school! Time passed too quickly as we were all being shipped off to school in Marissa's car. Everyone chatted while I soaked in the atmosphere and dreamt of my one true love Clayton Hoffman.

One day, we'd be together. I knew it. We were meant to be. But how to get him to like me? He probably hasn't even considered me as potential girlfriend material.

I have never crushed on someone so bad before. It's so weird. It's more than a crush. I love Clayton, but I can't understand it right now. I know that I'm happy where I am, and I know I'd be extra happy if we got together, but what is the chance of that happening? This is why I need to get him to notice me somehow.

But no way would I change myself for a guy. I wouldn't go that far.

I stepped out of the now stationary car, picked up my bag and slung it around my shoulder. We congregated around a large tree and the people around me were talking about various things, but all I could concentrate on was seeing Clayton again.

I saw him. A bitter taste found itself on my tongue as I swallowed. Of course. How could I be so stupid?

There he was laughing around with Anna. Of course he would like her. She was quirky, funny and very pretty.

Anger rose inside of me. Not really anger directed at Clayton, more anger directed at me. How could I ever even think for a millisecond that he **liked** me!

I saw Seth talking to Ryan about Superman or something and immediately felt sorry for him. Not that Seth wasn't a good catch or anything, Seth was wonderful, but now, he had competition. I decided to alert him out of sisterly love to this new development of mine.

"Seth," I said.

"Yeah, Chels" (AN: BTW, whenever somebody calls Chelsea 'Chels'….pronounce it in your mind as Chelse…like Chelsea without the 'ea' bit…not like 'shells':-)

I motioned for him to come closer and I took him a little further away from the group.

"What's wrong?" he asked obviously confused.

"Nothing, just…Ok, Anna and Clayton are up in the car park." I don't know what I expected but it certainly wasn't for Seth to laugh at my face.

"What?" I demanded.

He continued laughing

"Look, I'm just looking out for you, you know. What if Clayton tried to charm Anna into liking him over you?"

"Oh, is **that** what you were worried about? Wow. Ok. No, Chelsea." He laughed again and continued.

"Thanks for the thought, that's really sweet of you to look out for me, but I know for a fact that Clayton doesn't like Anna. Well at least not in **that** way. He likes you, stupid. He's crazy for y…Oh God! I didn't just say what I said did I?"

A look of shock crossed both of our faces. I broke out into a smile as he started a repetitive rant about not telling him that he told me.

If I had been happy before, I lied. **This** is what true happiness felt like. I think I must have giggled like a little schoolgirl because Seth finally stopped his rant and started mocking and laughing at me.

"You like him don't you?"

I burst into laughter, and I think Marissa, Ryan and Summer thought we were seriously crazy if they saw us from their congregation at the tree.

As we walked back slowly to the rest of the group I became serious.

"Seth, please don't tell him!" I begged of Seth most sincerely.

"What is it with you guys and not telling each other? How can I just stand back? I think this needs some kind of intervention you know?" he looked back at me with his sly Seth grin.

"No way!" I changed my tone. " Alright, Seth, just… If you can…"

"Yes…" he said eagerly anticipating my answer of giving him some form of matchmaking duties.

"Maybe you, could just tell him that I like him too. But without being blatant, you know. Like, give him a hint maybe? Just don't tell him that I put you up to this."

"Sure thing, Chelsea. I will gladly be of service. Ahh, here is the fellow we've all been looking for!"

I turned around too fast and collided into someone's chest.

"Ahh…" I whimpered out of habit. I looked up and saw that I was once again in the chest of the guy I am in love with.

I think I turned bright red right then. Luckily for me, all the makeup I put on lessened the effects of my redness to the naked eye.

"We've got to stop doing that" I laughed nervously and quickly stepped away.

"Are you ok?" He asked sincerely, with a worried, look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I laughed a little to cover my nervousness. "How embarrassing" I thought to myself. "I'm sure he doesn't appreciate you throwing yourself at him every chance you get"

But somehow, after that, if it is even possible, but he was acting rather nicer to me. Not that he is usually mean, but he was very attentive and kind.

But what I really cared about the most, was that now, for sure, I knew that there was a chance. There a was a huge chance. All I had to do was find some way to make that chance happen.


	14. Chapter 14 Assignments Can Be Fun

**Author's Note – ****Sorry for such a long wait to get this chapter out. I guess you could say I took a break from writing fanfictions. Any ways, hopefully, now I can get back into the swing of things and release a new chapter regularly. Anyways, read and review people! Your words are always appreciated:-) **

**Chapter 14**

**Assignments Can Be Fun**

"Ok, now class, I know how much we all LOVE assignments!" exclaimed my drama teacher, Mr Plate, who had already begun handing assessment sheets out to the class.

The class did nothing to suppress their groans but let their annoyance be expressed to the world. After all, we were in drama class.

"Oh hush! It isn't that bad, this is drama remember, no funky little equations or surds in this assignment. No, we're going to study a play. The great Shakespearian work of 'Romeo and Juliet', to be exact. I will set you off in pairs, you will read the play, and please, you can't pass this semester if you watch Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo _Plus_ Juliet. Please people, go to the library, pick up that book and read it, it will be of great help to you. Now as I was saying, partners. I'll pair you off, you will, in two weeks time hand up to me one report that answers all the questions on the sheet. Any questions my little dramatic ones!"

Mr Plate stood up straighter and looked around the room, eagerly awaiting a question.

"No, no questions? Ok, well, I guess I'll tell you who your partners are."

He walked back to the front of the classroom to his desk and started searching around for his list of names.

I picked up my assessment sheet and quickly scanned it. It seemed easy enough, even if my partner was lazy, I'd gladly do the work for them, it seriously wasn't that hard. I don't even understand why we had to have partners in the first place.

"Ok, Marissa Cooper, you'll be paired with Jane Hathaway. Ryan Atwood, you're with Seth Cohen. Ginger Matthews, Peter O'Connor," by now Mr Plate had gotten tired of using last names and just said firsts, "Marie and Kitty, Anna and Louisa, Summer and Mykalena, Sam and Christian, Daniel with John, Clayton with Chelsea…"

At that moment, my heart started beating a thousand beats at once. This was my chance. Oh! What would I wear, where would we meet? All these questions! I phased out and stopped listening to Mr Plate. I was absorbed in my own worrying that I didn't even notice that the bell had rung and that the love-of-my-life tapping me on the shoulder.

"Chelsea? Chelsea?" I phased back in and realised Clayton had been saying my name for a while, trying to get my attention. I shook my head and blinked my eyes.

"Sorry, I was somewhere else for a moment."

"Obviously." He chuckled to himself. "So, as I was trying to ask you, when do you want to meet up to do this assignment?"

I just stared for a few seconds. I felt as though he was asking me out on a date, but when I realised he was just talking about meeting up for the assignment I quickly snapped out of my daze.

"Uhh," Was all I could dumbly say.

"How about you come over to my house, say, this Sunday at around 1 pm? Is that ok with you?"

"Uhh, sure, yeah, I'd love to,"

"Damnit, damnit, damnit!" I thought to myself, why did I have to say that I would 'love' to? Argh!"

But no, he didn't react in a disgusted way, I guess, now I was starting to believe this whole 'he likes you thing' that Seth was saying earlier. I just find it so hard for me to grasp that concept, that I forget all the time.

He just smiled at me instead. That smile that just makes your heart beat faster, that smile that make your knees go weak because you know it was meant for you.

"Ok, cool see you then, ok?" I started packing away my things when he turned around once again and came back.

"Sorry, I forgot to give you my address or phone number, silly me." He bent his head lower to write down his address and number and I could clearly see a pink tinge in his cheeks. He handed me the slip of paper and waited for me to finish packing my stuff away.

"Come on," he instructed, "we better get to lunch before the others start wondering where we are.

I followed his lead, as I had no idea how to get to where everybody else was sitting.

I lost him for a few seconds. I turned around on the spot. He was nowhere in sight. I was panicking internally. How was I supposed to get back to the group?

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a lunch tray was thrust into my hands and a smiling Clayton was standing in front of me.

"Sorry about leaving you, but the line was temporarily short, so I quickly went to get us some lunch. I hope you like pizza."

I finally looked down at the contents resting on the plastic slab in front of me and looked up again with a smile on my face.

"I love pizza," I acknowledged and he took my hand and led me to the direction of where everyone else was sitting.

Oh gosh, his hands were so nice and warm. He held onto me so tightly. Not tightly, but firmly, he didn't hurt me or anything. But I could feel his protectiveness of me. Just by the way he walked, the way he held my hand. I'm just hoping that Seth was right, that this all wasn't some kind of 'new girl' prank.

We arrived at the table where everyone was sitting down already eating their food. Sadly, he let go of my hand, but I didn't look back at him. How embarrassing would it be, if he knew that I missed the feel of his hand on mine?

I absorbed myself into the food in front of me and prayed a silent prayer that no one could see, hear or feel. My silent plea to my Lord, the only thing that has been, and who I hope will always be there for me. My only option to take for some sort of cathartic release.

CHINO FLASHBACK SESSION 2:

START OF FLASHBACK

"Come on!" he called back playfully. I was lagging behind. I kind of knew that I shouldn't be here. I mean, I was 13. 13 year olds don't usually have 18-year-old boyfriends who take them to bars.

But, what was I to worry about? We were out of town, nobody would catch us, I was wearing my new dress that Eddie had bought me for the occasion and I had Eddie to protect me. He wouldn't let me get hurt.

I quickly caught up with him, my stiletto's clicking the pavement as I jogged as fast as my shoes would permit, towards my boyfriend.

We were in Los Angeles. As far as Ryan knew, I was at home with Mom. As far as my Mom knew…wait, Mom didn't know, she didn't care

I clutched onto his arm and we walked together towards the bar. It was about 12:30am and we had just been to a party.

We arrived at the doors of the bar and the security guard let us in because he was a friend of Eddie's. Eddie had friends everywhere it seemed.

I took off my coat as I entered the smoky bar that reeked at times of stale cigarettes and armpits, and found myself a stool to sit on near where the bartender was.

"Sugar, I have to go and talk to this guy for a while concerning some business, just stay here and order whatever you like ok?" He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and walked away.

I looked around the room. There were some guys playing pool at a table in the other side of the room. Various people were sitting in booths. One woman looked as though they could commit suicide at any second. She was playing with a knife, slowly bringing it down in an attempt to cut herself, then quickly bringing it away. I could see small cuts and scars on her arms and legs and a little bit of blood on her knife.

I turned away from this scene to look at the people a few booths away from the suicidal woman. My feelings of sadness and pity left as quickly as they came as I saw a man and a woman having sex in the dirty, graffiti covered booth. In the next booth over, a few kids, maybe about 16 years old were smoking a joint and a few others were snorting cocaine who I assumed they had purchased off the sallow-faced, scabby woman. She was doing an obvious transaction in the corner with another helpless soul, whose life would be flushed down the toilet with the addictiveness of her produce, or perhaps an overdose.

I averted my head away from these depressing people and ordered a Coke from the bartender. Why did Eddie have to meet this guy in such a seedy place?

I inspected the glass for any anthrax any other visible signs of disease before I obtained a straw and sucked. I finished drinking and sat there swinging my legs about and playing with the bracelets on my arms. I looked back to where Eddie and the man were sitting. The man looked really sleazy. There was a sick feeling inside me that told me that I shouldn't be here. I wanted to leave, I really did, but I knew that I would disappoint Eddie. I didn't want to disappoint him.

I came to the conclusion that he wouldn't mind if I just went outside for a bit, so that I could be away from the smokiness of this dodgy place. I wrapped my coat around my small, frozen body as I went out of the doors. I walked to the side, and rested my body against the wall near the entrance of the alleyway. Closing my eyes, I breathed in and out.

My safety was now in risk. I didn't realise it then, but the next few minutes would become life changing moments. I hated those moments. I still hate those first moments today, but now I've come to accept that it must have happened for a reason. At first I blamed myself. "It was all my fault," I used to say in my head, over and over again. He made me believe it was my fault, but luckily, it was only him and I who knew. Him and I were the only people who could blame me.

"Hey there honey-buns," said a man in the darkness of the alleyway. He had a drunken-sounding, giddy tone. A tone that I didn't trust for a second.

I froze up as I saw him walk into the view of a streetlight. It was Eddie's new business venture.

"W-where's Eddie?" I asked as calmly as possible.

"Honey-buns, don't worry, I'll take care of you. You'll be safe with me." He placed a tight hand onto my arm and forced my body onto him. He pressed me to the cold, hard wall of the alley way and started feeling me up.

I screamed and writhed but he just became more angry and slapped me. I fought for my life, I fought for my virginity, he couldn't rape me. He couldn't take that away from me! Or so I thought.

I felt so humiliated as he started to. I cried. My most vivid memory of that night was the feeling of my hot tears on my cold face. My stinging tears or humiliation and pain. I was being degraded by this sleazy excuse for a man and I couldn't stop him.

I felt his disgusting, alcohol-reeking breath in my mouth as he tried to kiss me. I struggled to swat his face away from me. I was screeching now. An immense pain inside of me was taking over. I was helpless and useless. How could someone do this to a person? To a 13 year-old-girl?

"Shut up bitch!" he whispered angrily into my ear. He pressed a knife up to my neck and threatened to kill me if I didn't stop crying and drawing attention to myself. Didn't those people care about me? Those random people driving their cars care about me? They could see me. But nobody came.

I closed my eyes, suppressed my yells and succumbed to his purposeful, evil humiliation when the pressure on my body suddenly moved away from me.

I opened up my eyes and saw Eddie beating him up. I fixed up my dress and coat and ran away towards Eddie's car. I was still crying by the time Eddie came back, but I got no reassuring arms. I didn't get any kind words like "it's ok, he won't hurt you anymore."

Instead he slapped my face and told me to get in the car "you slut".

He dropped me off at the bottom of my street and didn't wait until I got to my house like he usually would.

"You will pay, you will be punished" he said.

And I did.

END OF FLASHBACK

**Author's Note – Ugh! That was really emotionally draining to write. I feel so horrible now:-( But, the story must go on, and this is what happened to Chelsea Atwood before she came to The OC. I'd just like to add, that real life cases of rape like this always makes me incredibly angry. I have so much sympathy and support for those people who have to go through such horrid things, and hopefully, this chapter has shown a possibly accurate portrayal of might happen in Chelsea's situation.**


	15. Chapter 15 Dinnertime!

**Chapter 15**

**Dinnertime!**

"Pizza, Thai or Chinese?" Asked a paper covered Sandy Cohen from the kitchen bench. "Or, we could even go for Japanese. I don't mind going into Newport for some sashimi." He pulled out yet another menu from the drawer and waved it around.

I was sitting cross-legged on the couch, playing Halo against Seth. The deepest concentration was a must when playing the almighty video game, so I did not respond to Sandy's questions.

"Umm…Chinese will be fine Dad," replied Seth absentmindedly. "Hey, where's Mom tonight anyways?"

"Nowhere special, she just caught up finishing off some-"

"Yes! Yes! I am finally kicking your ass Chelsea!" shrieked Seth.

Sandy gave up trying to have a conversation with us and simply walked off to call for the Chinese.

"Not for long step-brother Cohen! For I always win Halo!" I replied in a confident tone and soon enough, I was soon beating him once again.

Sure enough, the trusty Newport Chinese Restaurant delivered within their 30-minute time limit so we saved the game and migrated off towards the dinner table.

Sandy was bringing the food in from the door and I went off to get some plates.

"Which one is-" I asked unsurely but got cut off by Ryan taking out the plates for me to see where they were stored.

"Thanks," I replied and smiled back at my brother as he helped me set the table.

I grabbed some glasses and a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, placed it onto the middle of the table and sat down with the rest of them. Tonight I was surrounded by testosterone.

Everybody had started eating by the time I had gotten to the table, so I just helped myself to a to an egg roll.

"So, people, how was school today? It seems like you guys are too busy to tell me what's going on with your lives these days," questioned Sandy.

"Hmm, nothing much, nothing much," said Seth and he winked at me.

I knew what that wink meant. Which reminded me, "Sandy?"

"Yes Chelsea"

"Would you mind if I went over to Clayton's house this Sunday at around 1pm? We have a Drama assignment that we need to complete together."

"Sure Chelsea," he replied smiling "it's wonderful that you're socialising here already." He reached for some moo shu pork and I, smiling, took another bite of my egg roll.

I helped clear up dinner and everyone went their separate ways. Seth and I had agreed that we'd finish the game tomorrow, Sandy had to make a business call and Kirsten still wasn't home. Ryan was in the pool house doing God knows what, so I decided it was my sisterly duty to bug him.

I quietly opened the door leading into the backyard. The cold night sent a shiver down my spine and I took a moment to breathe in the nighttime air.

"Oh Lord," I whispered to myself, "what am I doing here?" Such a sudden change of mood overtook my body and I radically transformed from annoying younger sister mode to just another solemn being walking this earth. Just another tiny pin prick on a map of the world. Even less than a pin prick.

"What is my calling? What do I have to do? I don't know Lord, I seriously don't know. Here I am, so lucky to be here, with my brother and a fantastic family, and yet still I am troubled. I have that giddy feeling of love inside of me, but does he love me back? Can I really love someone? I don't know if I can let him come too close…I don't know if I can have him."

All these thoughts went through my mind. Everything I had been thinking about lately. Tonight, everything was just sprung onto me, all in one go…I didn't know if I could handle all of this at once.

I felt like a victim of emotional breakdown to some extent. I was so distraught, so angry, so weak. I wanted to just cry. Just cry and cry and cry and cry. Maybe I could cry all the pain away. Maybe I could just let it wash away. Get it out of me…

I quickly made up my mind.

"Umm, Ryan!" I called.

"Yeah," I heard faintly from the pool house. I could hear the shuffling of his feet and then the opening of the door. He stood there in sweatpants and a wife beater with a friendly look on his face that said "keep going, what is it that you wanted to say to me?"

"I'm going down to the beach for a while,"

And even though I saw that look on is face, like he was trying to stop me, I left before he could. I needed to go, not even Ryan was going to stop me.

I quickly slipped into my room to grab a jacket and then left immediately. I stepped carefully out once again into the cold outdoors and instinctively pulled my arms through the sleeves in the jacket, then zipped it up.

I clunked purposefully down the street and took the appropriate turns. Surprisingly, I pretty much knew my way around Newport quite well. Too bad I wasn't as knowledgeable at learning my way around school.

Once again I found myself walking towards my haven. But this time it wasn't 4am and a sinking in my stomach made me realise that Clayton would probably not be there right now. Nevertheless, I went to the beach and found a spot on the sand. Just dark enough to keep me hidden and just lit up enough by the moon to help me see.

But why should I need to see?

I started bawling. Literally bawling. My body was shaking and all I could do was surrender myself to my emotions. I was so lost. I was just so lost.

"Don't cry over spilt milk," people say, but they obviously do not realise just how cathartic crying can be.

Eventually, I came home and although my problems can't all be sorted in one go, I know that I think I just need to be at peace for a while. I've gone through so many changing experiences lately, maybe this is what I need to do. Let it come, be numb and just let it come.

Breathe in. Turn on music. Breathe out.

**Author's Note – Hello everyone! I believe that at the time of my last post, I was unlucky enough to post it at a time when the site was having a few problems with their sending-out-of-emails-that-say-I've-updated function wasn't working, so hopefully this time around, people are alerted, and I get plenty of reviews! And, if you've read this far I would just like to say thankyou for bearing with me, I believe that this chapter will be the final of the 'beginning', so to speak, chapters and things will start happening (well, more things anyways:-) **

**So smile, be happy and watch out for the next chapter of 'Chelsea Atwood', hopefully coming soon to an internet site near you!**

**-H**


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